The Housemate
by You.Talk.Of.My.Drinking
Summary: Renee and Phil are having cash flow issues, so what do they do? Take a housemate, of course! A very handsome, older, Edward housemate. OLDERWARD, DARKWARD
1. Prologue

_**The Housemate**_

_Prologue_

BPOV:

I never particularly liked school. It was something I did because I had to; studying very hard and maintaining good grades was just a part of that package. I wasn't one of those kids who rebelled and ditched school all the time-besides the occasional 'mental health day'.

My mother understood that I needed a break and would take me shopping, or to the movies. Those days belonged just to us.

That was before Phil came around.

Phil wasn't rude or mean. I didn't particularly hate him. However, I didn't particularly like him either. I was simply indifferent. If he made Renee happy, than I guess that's all that mattered. He was younger than her_, a lot younger_, nearly fifteen years, which means that he was roughly closer to _my_ age then he was to _hers_. But, the youth that came with Phil meant that he matched well with my Mothers immaturity. They were both restless when it came to settling down, and enjoyed jumping from hobby to hobby.

They explored the world together, enjoying seeing new experiences through each other's eyes. It was the kind of love that my crazy, flighty mother had always dreamt about. I had figured out a long time ago that she never really_ wanted_ Charlie. She loved the_ idea_ of a man that would take care of her with financial stability. She loved the _idea _of settling down and becoming a house wife that had a husband on a nine to five schedule; the hero of the town. She loved the _idea _of having a little baby to complete that fantasy.

I felt bad for Charlie. He had fallen in love with her and he had stayed that way, pinning for most of his life before he finally let her go when she married Phil. A few months after that, Dad wrote me about his extremely happy life with his girlfriend, Sue. But, he had lost most of his life to my mother. He had fallen in love with the _idea,_ too.

But that_ idea_ just wasn't Renee. Renee was restless spirit. She loved to move around without knowing where she was going. She loved the unpredictability of where she would end up and who she would meet, how she would get by.

The only problem with her beloved lifestyle was this:

_I never seemed to fit into it. _

~O~

I should have suspected that we were having issues financially when, out of the blue, Renee quit her hemp weaving class. She never just quit anything, if she did it was because she had found a wonderful knew hobby like candle melting. This time, she didn't have a reason. She just quit.

Looking back, I realized a lot of her frivolous activities stopped. She didn't go to the store for milk and come back with a trunk load of groceries that we would never eat. She didn't go to the mall every Saturday and come back with dozens of crazy outfits for us that I would never wear. We stopped going to 'family movies' with Phil, and our HBO channels disappeared, as well as our magazine subscriptions.

Then, she started walking a lot. I thought maybe that was her new obsession; walking, to stay fit. It wouldn't be the first time she went on an insane health kick. When Michelle Obama came out with the health statistics in the United States, she threw out everything in the house that had high fructose corn syrup in it.

What I didn't see about Renee was that she was using different means everywhere, using fans instead of the air conditioning, and going out to eat less. She was cutting back on spending money, except for when it came to me.

She never told me we were having money issues. So, as any teenager did, I asked for money to go out on the weekends, I borrowed the car, unknowingly burning up gas that she had strived to save up for. I was oblivious, but our relationship had always had so much distance, that I just ignored most of the unusual things she did, mostly because that's just what Renee was; unusual.

By the time I figured out we were having money issues, we were in debt. Not a lot of it, but enough that we had to go from a four bedroom home with two large family rooms and a gigantic kitchen with all stainless steel kitchenware, to a beat up three bedroom two story with an unfinished basement and an insect problem.

I had woken up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and as I walked out, I noticed a light on the kitchen, where I heard Renee's and Phil's voices. I went to investigate, hiding in the hallway so they couldn't see me, but I could see them through the mirror placed strategically in the living room.

Renee sat at the kitchen table with her head in her hands, tears leaking through her fingers. Phil stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders gently.

On the table in front of them sat a stack of bills, a calculator, two pencils, two pieces of scratch paper, and the check book.

I knew something was wrong immediately. Phil's soothing words to my mother confirmed what I had guessed.

"It's okay, Renee. I'll find some full time work, and I'm still on the waiting list for the team if anything happens to the guys. We'll move out of here and go somewhere with lower rent. It'll all work out, honey. We'll just have to cut back on a few things." He seemed to be trying to convince _himself_ as well as her.

She nodded, taking her head out of her hands. She looked so tired, and so much older than she had just six months ago when she married Phil.

"Just promise me one thing." She murmured quietly.

Phil came around and sat in the chair next to hers, looking her deeply in the eyes.

"Of course."

Her words were so quiet that I barely heard them, and the next morning, I would wonder if I had imagined them.

"Bella can't know that we're having money issues. I won't burden her."

I had stumbled into my room, feeling betrayed. She didn't trust me enough to tell me that we were having money issues? Fine. I would force her to tell me.

I fell into bed, hurt and angry.

Over the next few weeks, I didn't ask for money to go out on weekends, and I didn't borrow the car. I stayed at home reading books, and walked to school.

Then, one day, when I got home from school, Phil and Mom were cleaning out the basement room-the one right next to mine.

"What's up?" I asked them, curiously as I helped mom lift a particularly heavy box.

We put the box down, and Phil wrapped his arm around Moms shoulders as she explained,

"I don't know if you've noticed, but lately we've been having some cash flow issues, so we're taking a tenant!" She stated, trying to make it seem like some exciting new thing.

It wasn't.


	2. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: Twilight is not mine, the characters belong to her. **

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter One_

"We're getting a housemate?" I repeated dumbly after my Mother announced the news.

She nodded, her smiling faltering a little bit at the corners.

"Yes, sweetie. His name is Edward, a long time bachelor, and a doctor!" She said excitedly, as if that would make me anticipate the arrival of a man who was probably fifteen years my senior.

"If he's a doctor, why is he moving in with us?" I questioned curiously. Surely the man could afford his own home.

Renee scrunched her eyebrows together, as if she hadn't thought of that before.

"Well, he's probably got a lot of student loans. And, he did say something about being lonely and missing his family in Washington. I assume he just wants a little companionship, sweetheart." She patted my shoulder condescendingly, at this point, "Maybe you could be able to view him as somewhat of an older brother!" Her ridiculous declaration was emphasized with a sharp nod.

I rolled my eyes, "You want this _strange, old man_ living in a room _right next to your seventeen year old daughters_?" Raising my eyebrows, I dared her to tell me that there was no other way, and that is why we were taking a housemate. We needed the money, and that we were lucky that a guy that was loaded was going to be paying rent.

However, I wasn't that lucky.

Instead, she stepped away from Phil, coking her hip and placing her hand on it. I recognized this pose. This was the 'Mom pose'. It was not a pose she took very often, mostly because I was usually the responsible one in this relationship. However, when she took this pose, I was supposed to take my 'submissive daughter' pose, so I rocked back onto my heels, and tried to summon a look of shame.

"Bella, he is a very nice man, and you will be polite to him! A lock has already been placed on your door, and all your things have been moved from the downstairs bathroom, to the upstairs one, so you don't have to share a bathroom with him. You will only see him in the hallways and during mealtimes!" She threw her hands dramatically into the air, as if to say, _calm down, Bella. I got this. _

I was neither amused, nor reassured.

~O~

The Mystery Tenant named Edward moved in that Saturday. The one day I couldn't be home because of an Anatomy project that I had to work on with my Lab Partner.

It put me in a good mood that I wouldn't have to help him move in, or exchange awkward pleasantries. However, it also unnerved me that when I got home, a random old man would be living in the bedroom right next to mine; A room that had been empty since we had moved into the house. I couldn't put my finger on why I was so unnerved with the situation, but I couldn't help the fact that I had a bad feeling, so I rolled with it, immaturely running away from the situation.

I will admit that I prolonged my stay at Angela's, distracting her from working by talking about her boyfriend, Ben. It worked, but only for a short amount of time. She invited me to dinner, and we ate some pizza, before we finally finished the paper, and I was happy to be going home after nine o' clock.

Hoping against hope that he would be asleep because of the tiring day when I got back, I started the long trek home. That hope was squished like an insect when I opened the door and heard laughter.

Moms. Phils. Mystery Tenants. I couldn't help but notice that his laugh was beautiful.

I tried to shut the door quietly and sneak down to my bedroom, but the wind gusted the second before I closed the door and sent a cold breeze through the house.

"Bella?"

I rolled my eyes. Who else would it be?

"Yeah, Mom?" I questioned, pushing down my irritation. I felt guilty for being so short with her, but I couldn't help but want to blame her for my discomfort. However, I also felt pity for her, because of how hard she was trying to make it seem like our money issues were minimal. I knew they were anything but.

Her head appeared over the railing next to the stair case.

"Come up and have dessert with us! You can meet Edward." She waved her hand behind her, where I assumed Edward was sitting.

My house was a split level, so I had two options. I could either go upstairs and sit in the kitchen, with everybody else, or I could go down the stairs, lock my door, and go to sleep.

But I knew the longer I waited to meet the new tenant, the more awkward it would be. So I dropped my book bag on the floor with a heavy _thud, _and pulled myself up the stairs. The living room lamps were on, setting off a warm glow that automatically made me feel tired as I made my way through it, into the kitchen.

The kitchen was small, mostly because there was a lot of counter space. The kitchen table was shoved into a corner, right in front of a sliding door that opened up to reveal a set of stairs that led up to the over the garage balcony.

That was the only thing I liked about this house. The balcony. It was a place that I could go and think. It was peaceful, away from my hair brained mother. Away from the money issues; it was a place I could relax.

So, that's where I went to read. It's where I went to do my homework. Basically, I did everything but eat and sleep up there.

Mom threw her arm over my shoulder, bringing me out of my assessment of our house.

"This is my daughter, Bella." She squeezed my shoulder, maybe a little too hard.

I took a quick glance at the man sitting at the table, quickly looking away. Then I glanced at him again.

Holy. Cow.

He was hot.

I could feel myself blinking rapidly in surprise as I stared at him, but I_ really_ couldn't help it. I was expecting a man that had already begun balding, or graying.

This guy was neither.

In actuality, his hair was beautiful. Thick, and gorgeous; it was the perfect messy length, and I was already dying to run my fingers through it to see if it was as soft as it looked.

His hair color, which was the color of a penny, just brought out his dark green eyes that seemed to shine brightly. His nose, long and angular was just masculine enough that it didn't look feminine, but small enough that it didn't take up his entire face. It had a slight bump in it. Almost as if he had broken it before.

Before I could make a fool out of myself and stare at his lips like I had been ogling the rest of him, Phil cleared his throat, bringing me out of my daze as my face flushed brilliantly.

Edward shook his head, looking a little dazed, before he cleared his throat, and smiled charmingly at me.

"Hello, Bella. I'm Edward." He stood up, walking over to me.

"I brought those for you as a little thank you for sharing your basement with me." He gestured to some flowers on the counter as he walked toward me.

"I know it must be strange to share walls with a stranger, so I hope to get to know you so there won't be any anxiety." He held his hand out to shake as he reached me.

I quickly placed my hand in his, mesmerized by his voice, the fluidity of his movements. The man already had me twitter pated and I had known him for a total of forty five seconds.

This could be very bad.

~O~

Renee was kind enough to late me escape to my bedroom after that humiliating encounter, and I was still blushing when I locked the door behind me. I pressed my hands to my cheeks, hoping to cool them a little bit.

It didn't help.

Lying on my bed, I docked my IPod and pressed shuffle.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I heard was Renee banging on my door, telling me to come up for dessert. Pulling myself out of bed, I turned down my IPod so that it would be background music, and left the light on in my bedroom, trudging up the stairs.

Everyone was still sitting at the table, and I plopped down in the seat across from Edwards', refusing to look up at him. There was no way I was going make myself look like an idiot again by drooling all over him.

"You look so much younger than I do, and we're the same age? Man, that's insane!" Phil was exclaiming.

Good god, the man was the same age as my step father, and I was into him. How humiliating.

I glared at the table at the unfairness of the situation.

A plate sliding under my nose obstructed my vision, and I sat up, grabbing the fork on the plate as I began to eat the cherry pie.

I hate cherry pie, so after four bites I broke it up and spread it around my plate, crushing the cherries and the crust together to make a kind of disgusting looking mush.

Renee sighed and kicked my leg.

"How did your project go at Anglea's?" She asked when there was a lull in the conversation between Edward and Phil.

I mumbled a 'fine' but that wasn't good enough.

"Bella, I can't understand you when you're mumbling into your plate. I'm sorry, Edward, she's not usually like this." She apologized for my impolite behavior.

I rolled my eyes.

Edward's velvety voice filled my ears, "it's fine, Renee. I'm sure she's just tired." He changed the subject, asking my Mom what she did for a living, and steering the conversation away from me.

I looked up at him and tilted my head, mouthing a quick 'thank you'. His smile was brilliant and he nodded at me as Renee prattled on.

I couldn't help but beam back at him before I looked down at my pie again, thinking about how white his teeth were, and about how his beautiful smile made my stomach clench and nerves to sky rocket through my veins like ice water.

A few seconds later, I felt a socked foot running up my calf. I blinked in surprise, almost flinching away. Almost.

I looked up at the man across from me in shock. This guy was _old_, and he definitely knew I was _young_. But he continued running his sock clad foot up and down my calf, getting higher every time until he was running his toes up and down my entire lower leg.

Swallowing nervously, I put my fork down. He smiled at me again, reassuringly and I raised an eyebrow in question, tilting my head slightly, hopefully silently conveying, _What's up, bro?_

He chuckled silently.

"Bella? Do your Mother a favor and clear the dishes please?" She interrupted us, and I pulled my feet away from him in shock.

This guy was _thirty two years old! _This whole footsie thing was not only taboo, but totally wrong. And creepy!

The bad news for me was this; it didn't feel _wrong_ or _creepy_.

It felt right.

~O~

As I stood washing the dishes that I didn't even eat off of from the night, I thought about me and Edwards' little encounter.

I didn't even know the guy, and he was playing footsie with me under the table while casually discussing things with my mother and step father, _who was the same age as him._

There was no way he was interested in me. And, if he was, what did it matter? He didn't know a thing about me except for my name. We were on even ground in that area.

If he liked me at all, it was all physical. Which couldn't be possible, because I was just, well, me.

I guess I was okay looking. Long brown wavy hair, light brown eyes, an okay shaped face.

However, that also meant I was plain. Brown hair, brown eyes, skinny, short.

I was just normal. Not like Edward, who was godly as far as I could tell.

"Want some help?" _Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. _

Shrugging, I nodded, because I hated doing dishes.

He grabbed the towel and started to dry because in this house we didn't have a handy dandy dishwasher-unless you were counting me as one, I suppose.

"What is your project on?" He made small talk as I handed him a plate.

"The Alu Sequence and Human Disease," I responded on autopilot. Good god, I hated that class, and that teacher, and everything about the Alu Sequence.

He nudged my shoulder, "Well, Ms. Smarty pants, how's that going so far?" He teased me lightly, caressing my hand as he took a water glass.

I shivered.

"It's going okay. Definitely the hardest paper I've ever had to write. However, I like the challenge, and I'm glad that she's letting us do the paper with a partner. Splits the work in half and makes it a ton easier." I tried to focus on what I was saying as a fan blew his scent in my direction.

He smelled just like a man should smell; Spicy, but sweet at the same time.

My inner hussy moaned breathlessly.

My outer hussy may or may not have done the same thing.

I saw him raise an eyebrow in my peripheral vision.

"Are you okay?" He asked me quietly.

Swallowing heavily, I nodded.

We finished the dishes in relative silence. Every once in a while, he asked me a question; what my favorite book was, favorite food, favorite song, etc.

I answered his questions the best I could, but his fingers kept brushing my hand as I handed him dishes. By the time we were finished, I was delirious. I felt high from his touches and the electricity that surged under my skin.

Later, as I crashed into my bed, there was one thought on repeat in my head;

_I am in some _seriously _deep shit. _

* * *

**Authors note: Thanks for the amazing response you guys! I was very pleased to know that everyone is enjoying the story and is excited to see it develop! **

**I'd love to know what you thought about this one!**

**Constructive criticism is definitely welcomed, as this is my first story! If your reviews are not anonymous I may start sending you teasers for the next chapter! :)**

**Thanks for reading! **


	3. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

**Participated in the boycott. Longest two days of my life!**

**However, super good for you guys! I am way ahead because of it! **

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Two_

The next morning I slept in until Renee knocked on my door and told me to get out of bed at nine thirty. I toppled out of bed, put on jeans and a white v neck t shirt, and pulled my hair back into a high ponytail instead of my usual rats nest, and holey pajamas for breakfast.

So I wanted to look nice for him. Don't judge.

On my way up the stairs I looked at his door. I couldn't decide whether it was closed and he was in it, still asleep, or if it was closed and the light was out because he had been awake for hours.

My Inner hussy told me to go and press my ear to the door. I decided to do just what my inner hussy was saying and crept toward his door, concentrating on listening, when it suddenly swung open.

And, I came face to face with him.

Or actually, face to chest with him.

_Whoa._

Bare chest.

Bare chiseled, muscled chest.

_Edwards_ bare, chiseled, muscled and tattooed chest. And arms.

I gulped heavily, and could literally feel my jaw drop. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I knew this was going to be embarrassing later, but I couldn't stop looking.

"Good Morning, Sweet girl." Edwards sexy, rough morning voice broke through my senses.

"Y-yeah…this….well…it sure is a morning, isn't it?" I giggled, a little hysterically after I was done talking, and glued my eyes to the ceiling so I wouldn't focus on his abs…his very defined…abs…

_Stop it, Bella! This man is FIFTEEN years older than you….god, he doesn't look it, though does he? Muscular arms, defined pecs, faint tease of a four pack when he breathes in, with a patch of darker hair running from beneath his belly button to…_

He cleared his throat and I realized I was staring again.

I snapped my eyes up to his, but there was a piece of his gorgeous hair hanging between his eyebrows, which just brought my attention to his messy bed hair, that he had obviously been running his fingers through…

Panting, I heard a faint whimper come from the back of my throat.

Looking back down at his chest, I noticed his tattoos again. A bird, over his heart, something in Italian down his side, a shooting star on the top of his bicep, and something on the inside of his forearm. They were covered last night by his button down.

A shirt appeared over his head, covering my view, and his amused voice said, "Why don't we go up for breakfast?"

Running his hand down my arm, he pulled me up the stairs, intertwining my fingers with his. Goosebumps rose up violently over my body, making my palms sweat and my hands shake.

We were holding hands.

Not for long, though; when we reached the top of the stairs, we both leg go. However, he walked close to me, his hand brushing against mine.

When we walked into the kitchen, Renee smiled.

"Good morning, you two!" She exclaimed excitedly.

Renee was excited about something in the morning. That could only mean one thing.

She cooked.

My eyes widened in horror and I shook my head from side to side frantically as I spotted the platter of scrambled eggs with cheese on the table.

"Sit down, and I'll dish you guys up some eggs!" She played the doting Mother. I was beyond horrified at this point. The last time I tried Renee's scrambled eggs, I had a severe case of food poisoning and couldn't go back to school for a week.

Despite this, I sat down, this time next to Edward on the side of the table he had been sitting at last night, by the wall, so we could watch Renee bustle around the kitchen.

I looked at him seriously as she poured us some milk, before she walked out.

"Edward. Do _not_, I repeat, do _**not**_ taste Renee's eggs. _Trust me_. It's Sunday, Renee and Phil's date day. They should be leaving about noon which means that after that we can make something and eat, but whatever you do, don't try Renee's eggs!" I hissed threateningly, only hoping that he would understand the fatality of the situation.

He didn't.

Raising his eyebrow, he shook his head, and picked up a large forkful of her eggs, dumping it unceremoniously in his mouth.

He chewed carefully...

…And gagged.

Pressing my lips together to keep from laughing, I gestured to his milk.

He downed it all in one large gulp and reached for mine.

I glared, slapping his hand away.

"That's my milk! If you want some more, go get some, you buffoon!" I exclaimed, pulling my milk away from his reach.

He reached across me, his body rubbing deliciously up against mine-Which may or may not have been exactly what I wanted- and snatched my cup, spilling milk over the sides.

Bringing it to his mouth, he gulped the entire cup down.

I glared at him, picking up my plate and dumped all my eggs on his in retaliation.

He frowned.

"Ha. Ha. I win." Okay, so I was a bit competitive.

His face remained blank as I stood up from the table, dumping my plate in the sink and dropping some extra napkins on the table next to his plate as I walked out, leaving him to 'eat' his eggs.

Sucker.

~O~

Later, after Mom and Phil left, I hid in my room.

I didn't know Edward at all, yet I was lusting after him and flirting around with him. The man was thirty two. This wasn't a conventional relationship!

Not that Edward and I were in a relationship. Or ever would be. Because we don't know each other, and he's older than me; he probably wants a woman his own age. Someone more mature, who is actually of the marrying age.

Yeah.

After deciding this, I lay in my bed, staring at the ceiling, and unashamedly listening; Listening to see if he was upstairs or downstairs, if he was in the living room or the kitchen.

After a half hour of unsuccessfully, I peeked outside my door. He wasn't in the basement, so I tiptoed up the stairs and into the kitchen.

He wasn't there either.

I didn't know if I was happy, or sad about that.

_Get ahold of yourself, Bella! Don't be one of those teenage girls that become all clingy _literally_ a day into the relationship._

I scolded myself before shaking it off, and going into the pantry to grab some Rice Krispies and some marshmallows. I stood at the counter and mixed the Rice Krispies, marshmallows, and milk into a bowl, humming to myself.

Suddenly, arms braced themselves on the counter on either side of me.

I jumped, shrieking shrilly, as I slammed my back into his chest, twisting so I could get away from whomever it was that was behind me.

"Bella. Calm down." His hands wrapped around my upper arms, stopping me from moving, my back now snuggly against his chest. His voice calmed me almost immediately, irrational as that was.

I took a deep breath.

"You scared me." I admitted shakily.

His face-which was right next to my ear-nodded up and down slowly, his warm breath fanning over the side of my face, scruff rubbing against my skin.

"I gathered that." His voice was low. Oh, so low. As well as sexy and rough, yet smooth at the same time.

My inner hussy gasped and moaned wantonly.

What my extremely inexperienced self actually did was stand there tensely, hyperventilating embarrassingly loud in his arms.

He placed his hands on the counter in front of us again and I stared at the hint of his tattoo under the rim of his long sleeved shirt. His hands were so big. They looked gentle, but rough, like he had worked hard for a long time.

Suddenly, he took a deep breath and I was reminded of how he felt around me as I felt my body move with it. God, he was so muscled and warm. I could feel my eyes beginning to drift closed at the feel of him.

_I want your hands on me. _I breathed in my head.

Or so I thought.

"Okay." He whispered in my ear, dragging his hands down my arms to clasp my fingers in his. He wrapped both of our arms around me, my arms resting comfortably on top of his.

"Like this?" He breathed, as my face flamed.

I swallowed heavily. He smiled against my ear, and I swear to god I felt a miniscule brushing of his lips there.

I stopped breathing.

"Rice Krispies and marshmallows?" He murmured, pulling me out of my lust induced haze and distracting me at the same time by his breath tickling my ear again.

I didn't know how to dignify that one with a response, so I just nodded.

He shrugged behind me, grabbing the bowl and two spoons from the drawer in front of us.

"Will you share with me? Those eggs were god-awful." He stated, stepping away from me so I could turn around.

Automatically I missed his warmth. And then scolded myself for it. _Bella, stop being such a girl! He is a man just looking for kicks! He doesn't want a _teenager _long term! _

Turning, I couldn't help but look him up and down. He was so god-like.

How could _this guy _want someone like _me?_

~O~

We decided to eat outside on the balcony. I told him we would as long as we didn't lose track of time. Renee was not allowed to know that we had snuck another breakfast. It would hurt her feelings.

Long after the bowl of cereal had been scarfed down, we sat out there talking. I figured I should get to know the man that had been holding me in the kitchen.

His favorite color was Brown, favorite animal was a monkey, and favorite coffee from Starbucks was a simple dark roast with three sugars, two creams. Favorite TV Show was Malcolm in the middle, Favorite Movie was What Happens in Vegas, Favorite childhood memory, baseball with all the boys in the family; him, his two brothers, and his Dad.

I wanted to ask about his tattoos, but I decided I would only ask him one personal question; why he was living here, with us, when he could probably afford a much nicer place on his own.

Eventually I asked a question so I could segues into the other one.

"You're a doctor?" I asked him.

He was leaning back in his chair, hands folded behind his head, lit cigarette hanging lazily from his mouth. I never guessed he would smoke, you certainly couldn't smell it on him. He was beautiful. Long and lean, beautifully tall, and it was almost as if he was sculpted instead of just made by the reproducing of eggs like the rest of us. He was the picture of relaxation. Or, at least, he was until I asked him that question.

Tilting his head to the side, he took a long drag and exhaled through his nose, coupled with his fiery hair he looked like an angry dragon. Hussy moaned at the sight of his nostrils flaring. Whore.

"Yes." His answer was short.

I raised an eyebrow, and decided to push with a little bit of my adorable humor.

"Wanna share with the class what kind?" He didn't seem amused.

He blew smoke out of his mouth before sitting up and taking one last drag of his cigarette, putting it out on the bottom of his shoe and throwing it off the balcony. He folded his hands in front of him on the table, before he changed his mind and then started playing with his spoon.

"I am a psychiatrist. I don't practice anymore." He stated, sounding far away.

I could feel my eyebrows pulling together. _I don't practice anymore. _He could only have been a doctor for a few years. How is it possible that he doesn't practice anymore? The man had probably only actually _practiced_ medicine for a _year _before he gave it up.

I decided to let it go. He obviously didn't want to talk about it.

Shrugging, I asked him his favorite band as he popped a mint into his mouth.

The tension dissipated as we argued about music…And it was as we argued about music, nearly an hour later, that it happened.

I was right in the middle of saying that Blink 182 _was, _in fact the most legendary awesome band ever, when I noticed him staring at me.

Raising an eyebrow I huffed out a, "What?"

He smiled a smile that only turned the corners of his mouth up, before he learned in a little closer to me.

"What?" I breathed again.

Leaning closer, he looked up under his lashes at me.

All of my earlier insecurities about him not wanting a relationship flew out the window, and Hussy got her way as I threaded the fingers of my right hand through his hair at the back of his head.

By now, he was so close I could smell his cologne and my eyelids become lust-heavy at the smell of it, mixed with the smell of the cigarette he had just been smoking.

The tip of his nose grazed mine.

"I'm seventeen!" I blurted, preparing to pull away, run downstairs and bang my head against my wall for the better part of an hour. _Way to point out the obvious. _

However, before I could run away, his forehead rested against mine, his piercing eyes looking straight into mine.

"I know." He breathed. His breath washed over my face and assaulted my senses. Even with the faint smell of smoke it was overwhelming. Add that to his scent, and I was done for.

My eyelids dropped closed as his lips brushed against the corner of my mouth, his scruff tickling my chin.

"You don't care?" I managed to get out without sounding choked.

"Do you?" He demanded quietly. He was breathless under all of that confidence. I could tell.

I shook my head.

"Good." He murmured, his head dipped down again and he brushed his lips against my jaw, working his way up to my mouth. His lips were about to meet mine when I heard the balcony door slide open.

"Bella? Edward? Are you two up here?" Renee called out the door.

I jumped about a mile away from him, looking at the table in shame when I caught sight of the bowl and two spoons.

My eyes widened.

"Hide the evidence!" I hissed. I was still dizzy and my heart was throbbing loudly in my chest from his touch.

He pressed his lips together, before he grabbed the bowl and two spoons, stashing them under the table in a feeble attempt.

"Bella?" Renee called out again.

_Stay cool and collected, Bella. Come on. You can do this. You did not almost kiss a thirty two year old man._

"What?" I snapped in a high pitched voice, failing epically at my attempt to sound calm.

She reached the top of the steps, looking at me quizzically.

"Is everything okay, sweetie?" She walked over to me, placing her cool hand on my beet red face in worry.

She glared at Edward. Mama bear was coming out to play.

"I'm fine, Mom. You startled me, that's all." It was a lame excuse, but she bought it.

"Oh, okay." The glare eased.

_Damn, she's gullible. _

"I was just getting to know Edward here." I pointed to him, "But, I need to finish up some homework before school tomorrow, so I better go put a dent in that." My excuse was fool proof.

She nodded, patting my back as I walked away.

Sitting down in my seat, she began making small talk with Edward while I escaped to my room.

Once in my room, I slid down my door, until I rested comfortably on my carpet.

Edward. Me. Kissing.

Well, almost.

Edward and me in the kitchen.

What had that even _been_? One second I was standing there alone, and the next second I was dangerously close to jumping a _thirty two year old man's_ bones that I had known less than_ 24 hours? _

Despite all of the ramblings going on in my head, the only thing I could regret about this afternoon was that the kiss hadn't happened. I wanted him. I wanted the thirty two year old man that I only knew a handful of things about. The man that could not be nearly as deep in as I was. This was all cheap thrills for him, and I was obviously getting a little more connected to this.

I thought about his words about my age and frowned. Of course he didn't care about my age. Who _would _care if it was only just a little fling?

Maybe he wasn't even thinking this through. I didn't _know_ the man! I didn't know if he went with the flow, thought things through, was a player, was a straight laced sort of fellow. Frankly, all signs pointed to major player. And, then there was me, falling hopelessly and effortlessly into an older man's arms.

A relationship that could seriously damage my relationship with my parents, in fact, it could _ruin_ my relationship with my parents if they didn't approve.

I stood up, walking over to my bed to plop down unhappily.

I had to protect my family, and I had to protect my heart.

This _thing_ with Edward had to end.

* * *

**Authors note: **

**So, I wasn't going to have them jump into all the physical stuff so fast, but I swear, Edward MADE me! He's a fast moving, horny bastard, don't ya think? Every edit got dirtier and dirtier! **

**Sorry that it took a little longer to get this chapter out. I got sick right before the boycott so I couldn't post it! However, I made it a little longer to make up for it. You like?**

**I'd like to know your thoughts! Constructive criticism is welcome! **

**Thanks for taking the time to read! Maybe I'll send you all a little lovin' in the form of a teaser if you send me a little lovin' in the form of a review. **

**I scratch your back, you scratch mine, eh? **

**-Drinking ;) **


	4. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Three_

I stayed in my room the rest of the night after my little revelation, claiming six hours' worth of massive amounts of forgotten homework.

Mom didn't question me. Instead she brought me a bowl of macaroni and cheese. Made by Phil, thank god.

However, because I didn't actually have any homework at all, I really only had one thing to do to pass the time.

Think.

And think I did.

I thought about Edward, and how attracted to him I was; about how he seemed to be just as attracted to me.

And then I got sad. Because no matter how much _he _wanted the relationship, or _I _wanted the relationship, it was wrong. That train of thought made me think about how he didn't actually want a relationship.

He just wanted to screw around with a seventeen year old girl.

That made me angry. I glared at his wall for upwards of a half hour before I took off my bunny slipper and threw it at it.

I sulked on my bed, staring at my ceiling. What had I done? I hadn't known him for a day and already this situation was harder than any situation had been in my short life.

Why did I have to actually like him? Why couldn't I just be indifferent to him? I was indifferent to every man in my school! I was indifferent to Peter Collins in the third grade! To Robert Marks in the seventh grade! I was indifferent to Shelley Waters-who wasn't a man, but wanted to experiment with me-in the tenth grade! I had no issues pushing men-or in that one case, woman- away! If I didn't want them, than I could politely let them know it.

I had never been 'dating girl'. Not counting elementary school, I hadn't had more than one or two relationships. I wasn't popular. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a loser. However, I'm not the cool girl that everybody talks to. I'm the girl that the popular people don't mind sitting by because I'm pretty much invisible.

That may seem sad to people, but I'm happy I'm not one of those people that the popular people_ don't_ want to sit by.

Sighing, I got up and changed into my pajamas, turned off my light and crawled under my warm comforter.

I didn't fall asleep until the early hours of the morning.

Sometime around two o' clock, I figured out why it was so easy to let other men down, when it was nearly impossible to let Edward down.

I wanted him.

~O~

The next morning, I crankily yanked myself out of bed, showered upstairs, and got dressed in my comfy jeans and my black tube top. I opted to leave my hair down and to only do light make up. Concealer and foundation to cover the circles, some mascara, as well as a little bit of lip gloss.

Renee was in the kitchen when I was finished, putting strawberry poptarts in the toaster, and roasting the coffee in the maker, as per tradition.

I nodded a 'good morning' at her and she grunted one back, scratching her backside through her fluffy pink robe as she pulled the creamer out of the fridge.

We are not morning people.

The toaster popped and I walked over to put them in a paper towel as she made us coffee.

After we were finished preparing, we sat at the table, me in my same seat from yesterday, her at the head of the table, kitty corner from me, the two poptarts and the cup of coffee between us to share.

"Anything interesting planned for school today?" She questioned me, breaking off a corner of her poptart and popping it in her mouth.

I sipped our coffee, shaking my head, "Nothing too exciting, just the normal stuff."

She nodded, "Is Angela picking you up still?" She inquired, taking a sip of the coffee as I ate the edges of my poptart.

"Yeah, she said she'd be here at 7:15." I told her, taking the mug she was offering me.

Chewing carefully, she spoke around her hand that she had placed in front of her mouth so I wouldn't see the food in her mouth as she spoke.

"Well, its 7:10, so you better go downstairs, pack your backpack, and get your shoes on. I'll put the coffee in the thermos for you." She leaned forward and kissed my forehead as she stood up.

I nodded, and went down the stairs, staring at Edwards' door as I made my way into my bedroom.

_No, Bella. He is a housemate. Treat him as an acquaintance, with polite interest and general respect. _I gave myself a peptalk as I shoved my sock clad feet into my converse, tying them quickly before I walked back up the stairs-avoiding looking at Edwards' door successfully-to where I had left my backpack on Saturday night.

Renee handed me my thermos and hugged me, sending me outside with a slap to my backside.

After waiting for a few minutes, I pulled out my phone to look at what time it was.

_7:16._

I sighed, scratching my ear. Today was not a good day to be late. I had a test in English, which just so happened to be my first period.

_7:19._

Balancing my coffee and over the shoulder bag in one hand, I scrolled through my contacts and dialed Angela's number.

"_Hi, you've reached Angela. If I'm not answering your call, then I'm away from my phone or I don't like you. Either way, call back later." _

I felt my eye twitch as I hung up without leaving a message.

_7:21_

Storming inside the house, I threw my backpack onto the floor and ran up the stairs yelling, "Mom! Angela is late and I'm going to be late for school if I don't leave this second! Will you take me?"

I barged into the kitchen to see Edward, holding the coffee pot, eyebrows raised.

My face changed shades from angry red to bury-myself-into-a-hole-red in 2.5 seconds flat.

"Uh…Have you seen my Mom?" I swallowed.

He tilted his head to the side, setting the coffee pot on the counter.

"No, I haven't." He sucked his teeth. "Sorry?"

I glared, "No you're not." I knew I was taking out my anger and embarrassment on him, but at this point, I couldn't help it. Add sleep deprived to the fact that I was pissed off and even the hot guy living in my basement wasn't safe.

He shrugged, "So what if I'm not?" He questioned.

_Treat him like an acquaintance _

I cleared my face.

"Then you're not. It's not your place to be sorry that I can't find my mother anyway. Sorry I snapped at you." I shot an apologetic look in his direction before I turned to look for Renee.

She was on her way down the hall.

"Mom! Angela still isn't here! Can you give me a ride?"

She looked guilty. That couldn't be good.

"Phil has the car, sweetie! I'm so sorry!" She looked at something behind me, and smiled, "Edward, do you think you could run Bella to school?"

He had followed me into the living room.

"No!" I said too loudly, "I mean, no, it's okay. I'll walk."

How embarrassing would it be to have the guy I was lusting over to drive me to school? Normally it wouldn't be, except for the fact that the man I was lusting over was old enough to be my father.

Renee raised an eyebrow.

Edward put his hand on my shoulder gently, and the electricity from his touch ran down my arm before bouncing back up and moving into my torso to spread through my whole body.

I shivered.

"It's okay, Bella. Really. Let me get my shoes on and we'll go." Renee thanked him, and continued walking down the hall.

Edward walked past me, letting his hand slip off my shoulder and down my arm as he walked toward the stairs.

Hussy stared shamelessly at his fantastic ass in those jeans.

I may have taken a peek too.

God, I'm so hopeless.

~O~

As we walked outside, I looked around for his car that I had overlooked on Saturday night.

Only I didn't see a car.

I saw a motorcycle parked by the side of the house.

Edward walked over to it, pulling on his leather jacket. He kicked the kickstand out from under it and walked it over to me.

It was black. I had no idea what kind it was, or if it went fast, or how much it weighed. I only knew it was black and shiny.

"Ready to go, Ms. Bella?" He asked me, handing me a helmet and a jacket.

I put the helmet on, "Who's jacket is this?" I asked him. So sue me for the fact that I didn't want to wear a jacket that another one of his_ women_ had worn.

He smiled, enjoying my discomfort.

"It's mine." He stated. I pointed to his torso, which was currently covered in leather.

"Also mine." He raised an eyebrow, daring me to object.

I opened my mouth to do just that when he interrupted and said, "Well, would you look at that? It's 7:26. Didn't you say something about the warning bell going off at 7:30?" He questioned, hopping on the bike.

Glaring, I threw the oversized jacket on and swung my leg over the back. Good god, his jacket smelled exactly like him, just a little bit more like cigarettes. The engine suddenly thundered underneath us, and I gasped, tucking my legs up and putting my hands on his shoulders.

"You're going to want to hold on, sweet girl." Edward yelled over the loud engine.

I rolled my eyes. I knew_ exactly _what he wanted. And no matter how much I_ wanted_ to hold him tight, acquaintances don't hold acquaintances that way.

Instead, I put my arms loosely around his waist, clasping my fingers together. Edward patted my hands before he took off, leaning forward.

This was not the first time I had been on a motorcycle. Renee had had one for a while when I was thirteen, and it was what we used to get everywhere, instead of the car. She enjoyed the feeling of power that she got from it, and the looks that she got from people when she helped her daughter off of it.

Some of disapproval, some of approval, and some of want, _for a cool chick like me_ she would always say. Being on a motorcycle wasn't foreign because of this, but with Edward it was a whole new experience.

His body was so much bigger than Renee's and he was a lot stronger, so his motorcycle was more heavyweight than light. He manipulated the large bike, bending it to his will powerfully. The engine was under us, and as it shook the frame of the motorcycle, I found myself holding tighter to him, rubbing at his chest with my fingertips through his open jacket and shirt.

My head rested against his shoulder, and my eyes closed. I could feel his warmth through his jacket, and _god _I wanted it. I wanted his warm body surrounding me, consuming me. His back was ripped, I knew, but to fee l it, up against my chest like this made me want to scream. I could feel his muscles moving in his back as his arms shifted the handlebars, maneuvering us toward the school.

Edward rubbed my leg slowly and I straightened up and away from him, opening my eyes and looking around us.

The bike was idling, we were at the school and the warning bell had rung a minute ago which meant students were on their way to their classes, staring at Edward's motorcycle which had sped into the parking lot. Edwards hand came out, palm up, to help me off. I used it for leverage as I pulled myself from the bike. I took off my helmet, handing it to him so he could put it on.

He let it rest between his legs, smiling up at me.

"We should do that again." He looked me up and down appreciatively.

Gah. How was I supposed to keep my distance from _that_?

I shrugged, than went to pull his jacket off of my arms.

His large, warm, sexy man hands covered mine.

"Leave it on. Looks good on you." He let one hand drop to his leg, while the other hand went down to rest on my hip.

Nodding, and trying to appear casual when I was ten seconds away from hyperventilation, I turned to walk away. He hooked a finger through my belt loop, pulling me back.

"Aren't you going to thank me for driving you all the way to school?" He puckered over exaggeratingly, tapping his lips with his forefinger.

Swallowing heavily, I rested my hands on his shoulders. There was no way he was getting a kiss on the lips. Cheek. That's it.

Yeah.

"Bella! I'm so sorry!" I heard Angela's voice.

I swear to god, Edward growled.

Dropping my hands, I turned away from him, walking toward Angela. She looked like she felt bad, so I let her off the hook with a simple, "It's okay, Ang." She thanked me, and we started to walk toward our English class.

I turned and waved to Edward, "Thanks!" I called, hoping he'd hear. He did, taking as deep a bow his motorcycle would let him before he drove off.

As soon as he was out of sight, Angela turned on me.

"Who is _he_?" She demanded, pointing in the direction Edward had just left in.

"My housemate." I shrugged, trying to play it down.

She gasped, "I would not mind rooming with _that_. How old is he?"

"Thirty Two."

She looked at me appreciatively "Well, damn girl. You are one lucky bitch." She smacked my butt.

I shrugged, noncommittally.

"Come on! You cannot be _neutral_ to that! I saw you two! Hell, I would've seen a lot more, but I wasn't the only one staring, if you know what I mean." She groused at my reluctance to talk.

My eyebrows pulled together, "What do you mean?" I asked her, hoping that it wasn't what I thought it was.

"The whole school was looking at you guys!" She exclaimed, pointing at everyone around us as we walked into the classroom.

It was what I thought it was.

Great. Just great.

~O~

The school day was hell.

During every single one of my classes, people stared and pointed. I had several girls come up to me and ask who Edward was, what our relationship status was, how old he was, as well as a flurry of other questions.

And, apparently, because some random Joe had driven me to school on his motorcycle I was 'cool' and 'edgy'.

So, basically, I'm the new school slut.

The only thing that got me through the seven hours of torture was sniffing Edwards' jacket borderline obsessively, which I'm sure didn't help my new reputation.

Angela was kind enough to drive me home, and when I got there, I slammed the door shut, stomped up the stairs and walked to the kitchen.

I went straight to the freezer, reaching to the back where I knew my stash of Ben and Jerry's waited for me. I grabbed a serving spoon, getting the biggest bite I could take without brain freeze, and shoved it into my mouth.

"Bad day at school?" His voice came from behind me.

Jumping, I turned around, holding my hand to my heart. Edward stood there, holding a pack of smokes and a lighter to go outside.

I nodded sadly, swallowing my gigantic bite of ice cream.

He didn't say anything when I began licking the serving spoon. Instead he nodded out to the balcony, opening the sliding door.

I walked past him, heading up to sit where we had been sitting yesterday.

He lit his cigarette, moving his chair so it rested right next to mine.

"Wanna tell me about it?"

_Considering it's all your fault, no._

In reality, I just shook my head. He sighed, exhaling through his nose. I was so upset even Hussy didn't act like an animal in heat in response to it.

Edward nodded.

"I get it. You don't want to talk about school. How about we talk about something else instead?" He questioned.

I shrugged, "Sure. I guess."

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I let myself revel in his warm, electrifying touch.

Humming, he inhaled again.

"Can I have a drag?" I asked him, nodding to his smoke.

He licked his lips, exhaling.

"You really want it?" He raised his eyebrow.

I nodded, carefully, reaching out to take it from him. He pulled his hand away, putting it up to his mouth and taking a drag.

I went to take it from him, but he pulled his hand away, shaking his head again.

"Why?" I whined.

He moved the arm around my shoulders, placing his hand on the back of my head, he leaned forward until our lips were only an inch away from each other, his eyes smoldering into mine. He exhaled between us, and the smoke curled and twisted away.

He smirked.

"Next time, inhale when I exhale." He instructed, taking another deep drag, letting it settle into his lungs for a moment before he leaned over to me, looking into my eyes again, before he pressed his lips lightly to mine, exhaling into my mouth.

I breathed as deeply as I could, pulling it into my lungs as he watched me with dark eyes.

He blew the last remnants of the smoke in his lungs away, smiling at me.

I coughed and sputtered, expelling the smoke from my lungs.

"Why couldn't I just take it from the cigarette?" I asked him, raising my eyebrow.

He looked me up and down.

"I wanted to give it to you." He breathed, leaning down to run his nose along my jaw as his fingers rubbed the back of my neck.

"I want to give you all of your firsts."

Well, shit. So much for being acquaintances.


	5. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Four_

Edward, who was currently rubbing my neck with his fingers, had moved down to kiss my neck. He placed little open mouthed kisses along the length of it and I was about ready to pass out because of the oxygen deprivation I was suffering from.

I placed my hand on his chest, pushing softly.

He straightened up immediately, looking me deep in the eyes.

"Is something wrong?" He questioned, his fingers rubbing tenderly at the back of my neck again.

I shrugged in humiliation. I was nervous. Of a kiss.

God, how immature could I be?

Edward placed a kiss on the corner of my mouth.

"Are you nervous?" He breathed quietly.

I started to pant.

He flicked the cigarette out of his hand, moving the hand that was holding it to my waist, rubbing softly.

My eyes closed, and my head fell back. His touch sent fire through my veins, and created a fluttering in my stomach….not to mention, a tingling down lower.

I licked my lips, nodding slightly.

Exhaling, he kissed up my jaw again, working his way to my ear.

"Don't be nervous," He breathed, sucking softly on my earlobe. "You can set the pace." His low promise reassured me, and I shifted closer to him.

Hussy disregarded his words, focusing on his tongue rubbing against my ear slowly.

I gulped.

His lips started moving down my jaw again, nipping along the way.

I shifted again in my chair, gasping as I let my arms come up and squeezing his biceps.

Good god, his muscles were seriously defined.

He rubbed his lips softly against mine.

He didn't hesitate when I rubbed my lips against his, diving in and making my first kiss passion filled and better than every day dream I'd ever had.

His lips closed around mine, capturing my top lips between his and sucking softly. My eyes fell closed, and I tilted my head back so he wouldn't have to bend so awkwardly.

He sucked harder and a moan built in the back of my throat. God, his lips were so talented. They were soft, and warm. It was obvious the man had plenty of experience, and that I was benefiting greatly from it.

His tongue ran across my bottom lip, warm and wet. He was so warm around me, his body so large, consuming me; I couldn't help but open my mouth a little bit so that his tongue could slip in when he motioned that he wanted to. I wasn't disappointed. His tongue slithered into my mouth, tracing my teeth, and then rubbed my tongue with his.

I noticed that he tasted of cigarettes and mint, and that he was breathing rather fast.

Edward pulled away slowly, first pulling his tongue out of my mouth, and then kissing me softly on the lips twice before he kissed the corner, than the tip of my nose, and my forehead.

I didn't realize until then that I had been on the verge of hyperventilation. His kissing was what I had always imagined; someone who was skilled showing me what to do. I had never imagined fumbling around awkwardly with someone as equally inexperienced as I.

His lips were still against my forehead, and I was still clutching his biceps, staring at his neck.

Or, to be exact, staring at his Adam's apple.

Hussy licked it, nipping hard, and making animalistic moans. I blinked, backing away from it in hopes to get her under control.

My hopes were in vain. I couldn't help but stare at the Adam's apple.

An Adam's apple that would probably be a delicious to lick and suck on. He swallowed. Oh, god. _He swallowed_. There was no hope for me now. My eyes may as well have been glued to that thing.

Edward rubbed my arm, ducking down and effectively breaking my gaze away from neck.

"Bella?" He questioned.

I nodded. God knew there was no way I could speak. No. Way.

His eyebrows were pulled together, and he looked rather concerned.

"Are you okay?" He questioned, and I realized I'd been silent for minutes.

"God, yes!" Inner hussy spoke before I was able to mask her with Outer Hussy-I mean, my conservative behavior.

And, just like that his confident smirk was back on the table.

In fact, he looked rather satisfied with himself. And who could blame him? The girl that he had just kissed had been in a daze for minutes afterward.

Damn him and his amazing lips.

~O~

Later, as we sat there talking about my project that I had been working on with Angela, we heard the car pull into the driveway.

Renee and Phil had come home from wherever they were. Edward and I walked into the house, and I prayed I looked like I hadn't just been kissing the thirty two year old man living in my house.

Renee greeted us kindly, plopping the bag of take out onto the dinner table, "Hey, guys! Go wash up because I got Chinese!"

Edward and I nodded, and I walked to the kitchen sink to wash my hands. Turning on the faucet, I lathered them up, rubbing them together for a few seconds before large hands encompassed mine and began lathering as well.

I jumped, looking over my shoulder at Edward.

He winked, and shrugged, pulling our hands under the water so that the soap would run off of them.

In a panic, I looked around the kitchen for my mom, only to find that she had left it to go in search of something. Edward's body shook with a chuckle behind me.

I glared at him.

He wrapped his arms around me, drying his hands on my sides. Sticking my tongue out at him, I pulled away and grabbed the paper plates out of the cupboard to drop on the table.

I grabbed the General Tso's chicken container and a pair or chopsticks while Edward grabs a plate. Walking over to the fridge, I grab a 1 liter of Dr. Pepper and head to the living room. Before I can make it across the threshold, Edwards voice infiltrates the silence.

"Plan on sharing the container of food you're escaping with?" He questions.

I turn to look at him, and shake my head, holding it up, "The General Tso's is mine."

He leers at me; "You wouldn't even share it with me?" his hair falls into his eyes because he tilts his head.

Hussy falls for his seduction, passing over the container and falling into his arms, moaning.

"Not even with you." I smile at him cheerfully before turning and walking out of the room.

Hussy pats me on the back for not falling to his every whim because he's the sexiest guy ever. I frown at her in disappointment for doing the exact opposite for the same reason.

I walk into the downstairs living that sits outside of mine and Edwards bedroom doors and plop onto the couch, turning on the Netflix. Not long after I turn on Malcolm in the Middle, Edward comes downstairs with a plate and sits next to me, without a word. He places his plate on his lap and eats from it with one hand as he places his other on my thigh, rubbing small circles.

Eating, I zone out and think about what the kiss on the balcony meant to me. What it meant to Edward.

It was my first kiss, and it was wonderful. I loved that he was so attentive to me and made sure to pull away at the right times. The fact that it was Edward that I was kissing made the kiss even better.

However, I didn't want to be one of those girls that became obsessed over a guy because he gave her her first kiss. My friend, Ashley had suffered that mistake and ended up getting even more hurt than needed because she ignored the blatant signs that he wanted to break up, and became clingy to remedy the fact that he was pulling away.

Her relationship ended, and that night she came to my house where pizza was ordered and Ben and Jerry's was ate in massive quantities as we watched sad movies and cried.

I refused to be that girl. And I refused to get hurt.

What did that mean? It meant, ultimately, that whatever the kiss meant for Edward was what it meant for me.

What I didn't know was if that would hurt even more in the end.

~O~

After dinner, Edward and I watched an episode of Psych, and then I headed upstairs to take a shower. While I was shampooing my hair, the door opened.

"Bella?" Renee's voice came through the steamed bathroom.

"Yeah, mom?" I responded, struggling not to sound annoyed with the fact that she was interrupting my shower.

"How are things going with Edward? You two are sure spending a lot of time together. Do you like him?" her voice was closer, like she was sitting on the counter next to the shower.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, "Yeah, I like him. He's cool." I couldn't help but be appreciative of the shower curtain that shielded my facial expression, because if she could it see it, it would be blatantly obvious that I 'liked' him a little more than socially appropriate.

She hummed, "That's good! I think he's pretty interesting. I'm kind of wondering where he works. He hasn't gone to work yet, so I haven't had the opportunity to ask."

I shrugged, even though she couldn't see, "Maybe he's taking some time off to get used to the house."

But, her words trigged my memory.

_I don't practice anymore. _The words that he had spoken made me incredibly more curious about him. Questions if he did work, maybe at a different job, popped into my memory, and I wondered if our relationship had progressed enough.

Hussy shook her head.

And she was right. Our relationship had been mostly physical other than a few games of twenty questions where we learned little things about each other. There was no way that I knew him well enough to question him about his issues with psychiatry.

"-I'm just glad that you like him, sweetie. I was little nervous about that, but now that I know you like him, I'm reassured." I heard her feet slap against the floor as she hopped off the counter.

"Yeah." I responded, hopefully closing the conversation.

But, it didn't.

"He's kind of cute, Bella. Don't you think?" She questioned, out of nowhere.

I froze up and my stomach squeezed so tight I thought I was going to lose my lunch for sure.

"Mom, you're married!" I exclaimed, steering the conversation toward her instead of me.

She laughed.

"That doesn't mean I can't think that he's an attractive man!" She sang, and I heard the door shut behind her.

I breathed a sigh of relief, and washed the shampoo out of my hair, watching the last of the soap swirl down the drain.

I couldn't help but let the thought creep into my brain that this was the end of life as I knew it. And it all changed because of Edward.

~O~

It didn't take long for me to fall asleep because of the lack of sleep I had gotten before, so I was blissfully asleep within seconds of my head hitting the pillow.

The next morning, I woke early and got ready for school, just like any other day. Except for today, Edward watched my mom and me as we went through our daily routine. This resulted in us being rather silent, except for Renee asking if I needed a ride to school. After I answered in the affirmative she asked if there was anything fun at school today. I told her nothing 'fun' happens senior year.

She hummed in agreement.

"When do you graduate, Ms. Bella?" Edward asked me from across the table, taking a sip of his coffee.

"June first." I answered automatically. The date had been memorized from the first day of school.

He smiled at me.

"And, when is your eighteenth birthday?" He raised his eyebrows.

God, this man was about as subtle as a gun.

"June 15." I responded, looking away from him, deciding to stare into my coffee cup instead.

He hummed, "We'll have to do something fun for your birthday." His foot traced mine under the table.

I coughed to cover a shocked gasp, and giggled nervously.

"Yeah sure. Mom will you take me to school now?"

_Don't notice we're leaving five minutes early, don't notice we're leaving five minutes early._

"Isn't it a little early, sweetie?" She questioned, looking between Edward and I curiously.

_Shit._

"I have to stop by the library and grab a book for my paper." I responded, lying through my teeth.

And, to help matters, I blushed furiously, giving away my lie.

However, she shrugged and stood up, pulling the car keys out of her bathrobe, then taking it off and draping it across the back of the chair.

She refused to take me to school in her bathrobe, but it was perfectly fine to do it in her risqué pajamas.

As we walked down the stairs, Edwards' voice rang out, "See you later, Ms. Bella!"

I hung my head.

So much for trying to keep this on the down low.

~O~

In the car, Renee questioned me. Who could blame her? Her seventeen year old was getting hit on at the kitchen table by their thirty two year old housemate.

"Is he always like that?" She questioned, looking at me out of the corner of her eye.

I shrugged, "I think he's just naturally like that. You know the type, flirty, but they have no idea they're flirting with you. They think they're just being kind to you."

She nodded, sucking her teeth.

"Yeah, you're right. Edward is a good guy." She convinced herself.

I nodded.

A few minutes later, we were at the school, and she pulled over to let me out.

"Bella?" She asked, just before I got out.

"Yeah, Mom?" I dropped my bag back on the floor, because she had serious face on.

"You can have a little crush on him, you know. He's a sweet, successful guy who flirts with you." She wriggled her eyebrows immaturely, but there was concern in her eyes.

I rolled my eyes, and lied, "Mom, the man is fifteen years older than me. I _really_ don't see him like that."

Renee's shoulders relaxed a little bit, "Okay. Love you. Have great day." She smiled at me as I got out of the car.

During the school day, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for lying to my mom more in one day than I had in months.

~O~

Everything was quiet when I got home. Renee and Phil weren't there and Edward was down in his bedroom.

I didn't know if I should go down there and knock on his door, so I dumped my backpack that only contained a pencil and five sheets of blank paper in my room and watched a movie.

I lay on the couch, hands thrown above my head on the armrest, as I watched A Knights Tale.

Not long after I lay down, I noticed that the sun was blaring down on me through the two basement windows that sit next on either side of the TV. Not long after I noticed that, I got groggy and started to fall asleep.

My eyes drifted closed, and I let myself fall into the blissful dream world.

When I woke up, I felt someone shaking my legs. I groaned, shifting. As soon as I did the shaking stopped, and I let myself settle into the cushions to fall back asleep.

Then I felt a warm hand, trailing up and down my short clad legs.

My eyes opened, and the first thing they saw was Edward, who was focused on the television. In my sleep fogged brain, I couldn't conceive how he could have gotten here. I sat up, trying to move my legs from his lap, but he caught my ankles in one hand. I could've easily gotten out of the hold, but I allowed him to pull my legs back to his lap anyway.

I lay back down and turned my head to watch whatever he was watching and yawned.

He rubbed my legs again.

"Tired still?" He wondered.

I nodded. "What time is it?"

"Five thirty." He shrugged.

"I slept for three hours?" I exclaimed, sitting up again, except for this time, I let my legs rest in his lap still.

He nodded, "I guess. I've only been out here for two and a half."

My eyebrows pulled together. He'd been out here for two and a half hours? I hoped to god I hadn't done anything stupid in my sleep.

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

I glowered.

"Yes." I said shortly.

Edward smiled, and rubbed my legs again, except for this time, he let his hand trail above my knee, letting it rest about mid-thigh.

He leaned closer to me. "You said my name. Were you dreaming about me?"

Licking my lips, I shrugged.

Smiling, he leaned closer, and then paused.

I tilted my head so he would have better access.

His lips burned me as they caught mine, sucking them again. He traced my lips with his tongue, dipping it between my lips before sucking on my top lip again. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pushed my hands into his hair.

He groaned, deep in his throat, and placed his hands on my hips. He picked me up and deposited me into his lap, so we'd be more comfortable.

Hussy rubbed his bicep, moaning embarrassingly loudly.

I did the same thing.

Edward smiled against my lips, kissing them one last time, before he moved to my throat. He sucked softly, licking at the skin where my neck met my shoulder.

I moaned breathlessly and wanted to bury myself into a hole because I sounded like a porno.

In response to my whore moan, Edward sucked harder, dragging one of his hands to rest on my waist, just below my breasts. His touch set me on fire, and I couldn't help but tug on his hair a little bit in the heat of the moment.

He liked that. A lot. I know because he paused in his sucking, moaning against my throat.

Hussy started panting. I was in my mind enough to at least keep my breathing somewhat under control, unlike her. However, I did get full body goose bumps

Edward bit my throat softly than soothed it with his tongue, and my head lolled to the side as he began sucking again.

After a minute, I realized what he was doing.

"Whoa! Wait just a second." I pulled away from him.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you giving me a hickey?" I demanded, touching the spot still a little wet from his saliva. I should've been disgusted touching his spit, but instead I shivered, because that spot on my neck was ultra-sensitive from his lips.

He at least had the decency to look a little ashamed.

I frowned, but he just smiled, bending to kiss the spot once more before he pulled away. He wrapped his arms loosely around my waist, clasping his hands near my hip.

"Renee and Phil told me that they wouldn't be home for dinner before they left. Are you hungry?" He questioned, and I frowned in disappointment because we weren't kissing anymore.

I nodded, because I actually was. Edward nodded, patting my leg so that I would stand up. I did, walking up the stairs ahead of him.

When we got upstairs, we raided the cupboards.

"We could have cereal." I suggested, staring into the pantry.

Edward wrapped his arms around my waist from behind so he could see around me.

"Why don't we make spaghetti?" he proposed, reaching in and picking up the bottle of Ragu, making sure it wasn't expired.

"I don't know how to make spaghetti." I shrugged, plucking the bottle from his hand, placing it back in the pantry.

He picked it up again.

"I do." He kissed the side of my neck, before he pulled away.

He grabbed some meat from the fridge, turning to me, "Would you like to help?"

"Sure." I took the meat from his hands and put it in a frying pan, like I did this every day. Edward prepared the noodles and the garlic bread while I cooked the meat, wondering where the hell we got all these ingredients for an actual meal.

After I was done, he let me pour in the jar of sauce, and mix some spices in.

Just like that, dinner was ready. Everything seemed so easy with him.

As we sat at the table, eating spaghetti and a salad in a comfortable silence, I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if Edward and I got married, if it would be this easy to be in a relationship with him. Then I cursed myself for thinking that.

No matter how much I wanted him, I could never keep him.

* * *

**Authors note: Sorry it took so long, guys. I went on a vacation! I will update two times a week usually, just in case you were wondering. **


	6. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Five_

After Edward and I finished eating, we did the dishes together comfortably in silence. When we were done and had the dishes put away and the left overs in Tupperware containers in the fridge, he suggested we go out to the above ground fire pit in the backyard and have some S'mores.

Of course we had to run to the store to get the ingredients for the s'mores. Of course.

So, we put our shoes and jackets on, and hopped on Edwards' bike heading down to the market for marshmallows, and graham crackers. Renee was Renee, so we had plenty of chocolate in the house.

Once again, I was dazed dizzy by riding the bike with Edward. He exhilarated me with the speed he used. He made me breathless with the power and confidence in which he controlled the heavy machinery beneath us. And he made me tingle because of the way that his body was held to mine.

When we finally pulled up to the market, Edward pulled the helmet off my head and placed it on the bike, not bothering to lock it down before we walked into the market, his hand brushing against mine with every step.

He grabbed a basket, and we headed to the aisle where the graham crackers were held.

It was at the check stand that it happened. Our cashier needed the crackers price checked, and that guaranteed small talk as another employee ran back to find it.

"S'mores?" She asked politely.

_No shit, lady._

But what I said in real life was, "Yep."

She nodded, looking around awkwardly before her gaze landed on Edward.

And then on me.

Then back on Edward.

She smiled, "It's so sweet of you to take your niece out for s'mores!" She exclaimed.

She thought I was Edwards' niece.

Because she had seen me with Phil and knew he was my step dad. And Edward and Phil were the same age, so of course they were brothers!

I just about melted into a puddle in humiliation.

However, when I looked at Edward, he was totally calm. He breathed out through his nose.

"Actually, she's not my niece." He stated, cool and collected like, while I was on the verge of humiliated hyperventilation.

The cashier was quick to apologize, "Oh, god! I'm so sorry…I had no idea, please just completely disregard what-" But the employee that took_ way_ too long to price check a box of graham crackers came back at that moment, exclaiming, "They're 2.59! Have a great day you two!" Before he walked away, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

Edward pressed a five into her hand, telling her to keep the change as he grabbed our bag. We walked out of the store with our cashier staring at Edwards' hand that was placed on the small of my back, dangerously close to my ass.

Like I said, he's real subtle like that.

~O~

The ride back to the house was quiet, not that we could've heard each other if we had decided to talk anyway.

While Edward drove us home, I obsessed over the incident. If Edward and I were to pursue this, this _thing_, then we would have confrontations like that _all the time_. And what happens when somebody _hasn't _met Phil several times and thinks that Edward's my _dad_?

_He's not _that_ old, _a voice in my head reasoned._ If you were his kid, than he would've had to knock up a girl at the age of _fifteen. My wise voice was right! That cashier was an idiot!

But, she wasn't an idiot at the same time. In fact, she represented what a life with Edward would be like. Because he _was_ a lot older than me, no matter how young he looked, and how young he acted. The man had a medical degree. And he practiced psychiatry. He also seemed to have a lot of issues with the fact that he practiced psychology.

This thing with Edward came with a lot of baggage. It was quite obvious that I was in over my head. However, who could I discuss it with? Certainly not my Mom; she'd blow a gasket. She trusted me. She left me alone with the man almost daily, because I tell the truth. I don't lie, I don't sugar coat, and I don't over exaggerate. Okay, maybe that last one was a bit of a stretch.

The point is I always told Renee the truth and in the past few days I'd lied several times. I'd skirted around subjects, and my relationship with Renee had been damaged, already. Edward had only lived in the house for three days. Was this thing with Edward worth potentially ruining my relationship with Renee, Phil and Charlie?

~O~

When we got back to the house, Edward went to the backyard and began building a fire as I grabbed the chocolate and some chairs to sit on, as well as the marshmallow roaster pokers designated for S'more and hot dog making, brought to the house by Phil.

Phil was a good guy. A manly man who enjoyed roughing it in the forest and going hunting-he was a lot like Charlie in that aspect. But what the things Phil and Charlie both enjoyed didn't matter to my mom; the things that mattered were the things that were different about them.

I walked down the back steps, struggling with everything in my hands as I jogged onto the unmowed grass and set the chairs down right next to the blackened above ground pit.

Edward smiled at me, and flung a match into the make shift teepee the paper in the middle lit up immediately and the wood began to catch fire.

"Were you a boy scout?" I teased, sitting down in my chair to watch him.

He laughed a little bit, nodding. "Yes. I stayed three summers at a boy scout camp, teaching subjects so others could get their various badges."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What did you teach?" I asked, genuinely curious.

He shrugged, "Astronomy, my first year, Safety awareness my second year, and Emergency First Aid my third."

He plopped in the chair next to me, reaching over to hold my hand, letting them rest in the air between our chairs.

The simple intimacy tugged at my heart, and I silently wondered how often Renee showed affection to me as a child. I could recognize things were hard for her, she was extremely busy. She was a single Mom working one to two jobs at a time with a little girl at daycare, and when I reached a certain age, at home waiting for her. I could remember when she would come get me from daycare and hold open the car door for me so I could climb in and buckle myself. And then when we got home we would eat dinner and she would talk to me about her day-even when I was too little to understand what working was like. The babysitter would come and Renee would leave to go work four hours while a trusted citizen would bathe me and put me to bed.

It was routine that was held until I was old enough to stay home by myself. And when that happened, I saw her even less because by then I could fix myself dinner. And then she met Phil. They were married and she quit her job. That was when our breakfast routine started, and that was when she started to be my mom again.

But I wondered if it was too late for me to see her as my mother again. I was too used to a friend.

Edwards thumb rubbed gentle circles on my hand and pulled me out of my thoughts.

He raised his eyebrows.

I shrugged.

"Wanna tell me what you were thinking?" He asked me, squeezing my fingers.

"No." I looked at the fire so I wouldn't have to look him in the eye.

He took a deep breath.

"Please?"

I felt my teeth clench a little bit, "Edward, I don't want to talk about it." How dare he push me to talk to him when I let every one of his insecure blocked off subjects slide?

"Why?" He questioned.

I yanked my hand from his and turned to look at him, "How do you expect me to share with you when you won't share with me?" I snapped, narrowing my eyes at him.

He licked his lips and opened his mouth, but before he could get a word out, I stood up and stomped into the house, walking down to my bedroom, slamming the door and locking it. Hussy stayed outside with Edward, bouncing her eyebrows up and down seductively.

Faintly, I heard the front door open and Mom and Phil's laughter as they walked up the stairs together.

I scowled, and docked my I-pod, putting it on my angry playlist so I could blast the jam and block out the sounds from upstairs.

But my angry music didn't stop me from hearing the sound of Edwards door click shut and the sound of the springs on his bed creek as he sat down, and I realized that his bed was against the wall that he shared with me. For some reason this just made me angrier, and I tore off the converse I was wearing on my foot and chucked it at the wall, where I estimated his head to be.

The only reaction I got out of that was a "Bella, don't throw things at the wall!" From Renee. Okay, so I tended to chuck stuff at walls when I get angry.

A few minutes of sulking later, someone was knocking on my door.

"Who is it?" I said grumpily.

Renee muttered a, "It's me."

I walked over and unlocked it. She walked in and sat on my bed. I joined her. She toyed with my comforter as she said the words that I knew she would speak.

"Did Edward do something to make you angry?" She probed gently as to why I was blasting my music and throwing shoes at my wall. I could feel the anger inside me boiling like a tea kettle, ready to scream and make me blow some steam.

"Yes." I stuck to monosyllables.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"He's a jerk." I stated.

Renee swallowed heavily.

"Bella…he didn't…try to make you do something you didn't want to do?" She hesitated, but pushed the question out, glancing at my chest and down at my lap before looking me in the eyes again.

"God, no!" I exclaimed as realization dawned, standing up from my bed and staring down at her, "If you're worried about that kind of thing, then you shouldn't have invited him into our house!" I pointed out the obvious, feeling an urge to kick something.

She rolled her eyes, "I know more about Edward than you may believe, Bella. We had Charlie do a background check on him. It came out perfectly clean. We interviewed him three times for an hour each interview before he moved in. He seemed perfectly pleasant, which is why I agreed to let him move in. But ever since he did, you seem so out of sorts. You're not acting like my daughter." She ran her hand down my arm, squeezing my hand, trying to calm me down. For some reason it just angered me further and I yanked my hand from someone's grasp for the second time today.

"And how would you know what I act like or who I am? You ignored me for seventeen years!" As soon as the words were out of my mouth I wanted to pick them out of the air and stuff them back in, but it was too late. I looked down at my feet, staring at the one that had the shoe on it and the one that didn't. I knew I was taking out my anger on her, and it made me feel guilty. She had worked hard these past few months to get to know me, to get me to look at her as a mom instead of some flighty friend.

Renee took a deep breath.

"I'm gonna go on a walk." I said, before she could say something, mostly because I didn't want to say something that I would regret even more.

"That's a good idea. You need to cool off before we talk." She didn't sound angry.

That just made it worse. Because she sounded disappointed. Regret stabbed my stomach like a knife being twisted painfully.

I left her sitting in my bedroom, refusing to look at her again after that little comment. I shut the door quietly and walked down the driveway slowly. Once I hit the pavement I started to run, my shoeless foot pounding against the sidewalk painfully.

For a moment, I thought about how crazy I must look. Then I disregarded it, because I was sick of wondering what other people were thinking of me, and trying so hard to look good in everybody else's eyes but my own.

When I hit the end of the street, I sat down on the curb and pulled my cell phone out of my pocket. It had been in my pocket all day and I realized I hadn't looked at it once since I had gotten home from school. There were two text messages from Angela about the project that I immediately disregarded. I locked my phone and shoved it back in my pocket, frowning.

A rumbling engine made me turn around, and I saw Edward on his bike, driving toward me. He stopped next to the curb I was sitting on, and held his hand out to me so I could use it as leverage to get off the ground and pull myself onto the bike.

I looked at his hand for a moment, thinking about how I should probably go back to the house and apologize to my Mom. How we needed to mend our relationship and talk this through.

But, my mom wasn't who I needed to talk this through with. I needed to clear the air with Edward first. So I grabbed his hand and let him help pull me behind him.

And, this time, I held on tight, just like he wanted.

~O~

We didn't go far from the house. He drove to the park, and cut the bikes engine so we could sit on the benches in front of the pond with all the ducks in it. As soon as we got off the bike, Edward opened the little compartment at the back of the bike where the helmet was supposed to be placed, and handed me my shoe.

I smiled at him as he kneeled down and placed it on my foot, tying the laces tight. We walked to the bench and he sat right next to me, throwing his arms over the back of the bench. I resisted the urge to lay my head on his right shoulder.

Hussy had no issues, cuddling on up to him on his left side, stroking her hand down his chest. I rolled my eyes.

Edward cleared his throat, calling my attention to him.

"I'm sorry for pushing you. I know that I haven't told you a lot of things about me, and I shouldn't have pushed you to tell me everything about you when I haven't shared personal things about me. We'll tell each other everything in time. I know we're just starting out, but I want our relationship to be built on giving equally, and trust. I don't want one of us giving more than taking." His words were perfectly said, like he had been thinking about them and had been planning on how to say them correctly.

He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it up and taking a deep drag.

Throughout that whole speech, the only thing I could focus on was that Edward had stated that we were in a relationship, and he had been speaking long term.

"Is that what we're in?" I asked him, still tense and rigid as he exhaled.

He blew the smoke away from me, and then turned to look me in the eye.

"A relationship? Yeah. If that's what you want it to be. I wasn't lying when I said you could set the pace, Bella. But, just because you set the pace, doesn't mean I'm not gonna push the boundaries sometimes." He winked, his right arm dropping down to rest around my shoulders, his hand caressing my arm.

I shivered. He inhaled another drag, and in that moment I realized how dark it had gotten outside. I pulled out my phone and checked the time. _9:36._

"Is that what you want it to be?" Edward questioned, exhaling to the left.

"Yeah." I hesitated for a moment, remembering his words on the balcony.

_"I'm seventeen!"_

_His forehead rested against mine, his piercing eyes looking straight into mine._

_"I know." He breathed._

_"You don't care?" I managed to get out without sounding choked._

_"Do you?" He demanded quietly. _

_I shook my head._

_"Good." _

"Do you really not care that I'm seventeen?" I asked him, relaxing into his arm slightly.

He licked his lips. Taking a few drags as he thought about what to say.

After a while, he shrugged.

"Bella, my dad is older than my mom by seventeen years. My sister, Alice's husband is eleven years older than she is. My brother Emmett is five years younger than his wife, Rosalie. Your mother is seventeen years older than Phil. Age doesn't matter when it comes to something that's _real_. If you don't care, and if I don't care, it doesn't matter. Fuck everyone else." He shrugged again with his left shoulder, taking a last drag before flicking his cigarette away.

I got his point. His whole entire family had married people of different ages. It didn't matter to them. Why would it matter to him?

Finally, I let my head rest on his shoulder.

He moved his hand up and down my back.

"What are you going to say to Renee?" He asked me, breaking the stillness of the moment.

"You heard." It was a statement, not a question. Of course he heard. His head was right next to the wall I had been standing next to.

He nodded.

"I'm going to tell her I'm sorry for being a bitch." I shrugged. Renee understood stuff like that, mostly because I got my snapping-at-people-who-didn't-deserve-it gene from her.

Edward snorted. "Yeah, well you haven't even told _me_ sorry for being a bitch yet." I lifted my head off his shoulder, glaring.

He smiled innocently, "But it was me who was at fault, so there's no need to apologize." I rested my head against his shoulder again, grumbling as he tickled my side with his fingers. I bit his shoulder through his shirt.

"Ow, woman!" He growled, and I looked up at him to make sure he wasn't angry. He didn't look too angry so I stood up, not expecting the swift slap to my backside. I twisted around glaring at him.

"You said I could set the pace."

"I also said I push boundaries." He countered, bounced his eyebrows once to enunciate his point, licking his teeth.

Damn, he's good.

**A/N: Ha ha, I love Edward. Don't worry, darkward is coming. Give him a little bit more time to emerge, although I will admit, he's not EXTREME darkward. So did you guys like? I LOVE each and every one of your reviews, the feedback helps me tweak every chapter! Thank you!**

**-Drinking :)**


	7. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Six_

Later, Edward and I walked through the front door quietly. I was stressed about how I had treated Renee, and he had wisely decided just to rub my back comfortingly as we walked up the stairs so that I could apologize.

Renee and Phil were sitting at the kitchen table, drinking tea and talking quietly. They didn't appear to be upset. What Phil was saying was making Renee smile softly at him. She looked so much younger in the moments when she was with him like this. I smiled, observing quietly. Edwards hand dipped under my shirt, rubbing my skin softly with his warm fingers. I felt my whole body shiver into goosebumps.

"She loves you, Bella. She's not going to be mad." He said leaning toward me to whisper close to my ear. I took a deep breath and nodded, walking toward the light of the kitchen so I could catch their attention. Edward hung back, mostly because he'd only been here for a few days and this was a family matter, I guessed.

Renee looked up and smiled softly at me. I sat down across from her at the table, fiddling with my hands.

"I'm so sorry, Mom." I murmured after a few minutes, looking into her eyes.

"No, _I'm_ sorry!" She jumped up from her chair, running around the table to hug me. I stood up just in time and we both threw our arms around each other dramatically.

She placed her hand on the back of my head and her other arm around my waist, squeezing me tightly.

"My biggest regret is not being the mother you needed me to be." She whispered into my hair.

Tears flooded my eyes because I couldn't say that she was what I had needed when I was younger. "I love you, Mom." I replied. She squeezed me once before pulling away, wiping under her eyes, while I did the same.

Phil laughed, "That's it?"

Renee turned to him, frowning, "Yes, that's it! We're mother and daughter. We don't fight. Ever." She pouted. He cooed, opening his arms up for her and she laughed as she went to hug him.

Their interaction reminded me of a cheesy romance novel, and I felt like a horrible daughter because I was annoyed by it. I was annoyed by this whole night. I was annoyed that even though our fight was mostly over we hadn't_ really_ talked. I was annoyed by her happy little skip to go and hug Phil. I was annoyed that she was always the teenager and I was always the mother.

Rolling my eyes, I turned to walk away, but Renee's hand on my arm stopped me.

"Wait!" She exclaimed, I turned to look at her only to see her staring over my shoulder.

"Edward, why don't you come over here?" She smiled at him kindly as he walked toward us. When he reached us, she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you for going after Bella and talking to her. I have a feeling that you are one of the reasons why she's feeling better." She rubbed his shoulder.

He coughed, "Your welcome, Renee. She just needed to talk."

She smiled at both of us, and then went to sit on Phil's lap. Edward and I took that as our leave and walked downstairs while pretending not to hear Renee's giggles.

He walked me to my door and we stood there awkwardly for a moment before he laughed lightly.

"Awkward porch scene much?" He murmured. I bit my lip.

Smirking, he stepped so that there was no space between us. I felt every breath he took, and vice versa I'm sure. My body hummed and vibrated in pleasure as his hands dug into my hips.

"Should I give you your first kiss?" He breathed, leaning close to lick the corner of my mouth as I shoved my hands into his hair.

"You already did." My voice did that breathy whore thing again, and I cursed it.

A rumbling chuckle went through Edwards body and I swear to god my eyes rolled back. Why did the man have to smell so good? And talk so good, and feel so good?

My eyes slid closed as his lips connected with mine. He bit my bottom lip lightly, licking to soothe the wound afterward. I licked his bottom lip experimentally. Everything we had done had been in my mouth. I had never ventured to his, so this was new. God, I could only hope I didn't do anything weird.

He parted his lips, and I slid my tongue in, licking along his teeth and tongue. He tasted so good. Just like the mints he always ate right after he smoked. He rubbed his tongue against mine, and I licked his bottom lip again as I pulled my tongue out of his mouth. He didn't ask permission as his tongue followed mine, and it was only inside my mouth for a moment before he pulled it out, licked my lips and reappeared in my mouth again. He did this several times before he sucked my lips into his mouth, and I moaned a little loudly as he moved his hands to my hair, tilting my head back as he kissed down my chin, sucking at the skin frenziedly at the junction where my neck met my shoulder again. He nibbled a little bit, and I tugged his hair.

"God!" I groaned as he licked along my collarbone, tugging my shirt to the side to suck on my shoulder, pulling my skin into his mouth harshly as he moved his hands to my waist.

He bit my shoulder where he had been sucking, then licked at it, sucking slowly again before he kissed it and then replaced my shirt, standing up straight.

When his eyes met mine they were dark, and lust filled as he breathed shallowly, and I knew if Edward looked like _that_, I must look like a junkie, high off his lips and talented tongue. He smirked when he saw me and leaned into to kiss me with bruising force. He pushed his tongue into my mouth, pulling it out and then pushing in again harshly, and I finally realized what he was doing.

Edward was in essence, fucking my mouth with his.

I pulled away, gasping as I leaned my head against the door that I had somehow ended up against.

"Bella?" When he spoke, it was a good impression of my breathy whore voice, and I smiled.

I opened my eyes and lazily raised an eyebrow in question.

He chuckled, and leaned in kissing my lips one more time before he walked into his room.

I stared at his door for a ridiculous amount of time, before going into my bedroom and collapsing onto my bed, fully clothed as I fingered my lips that I could tell were swollen.

~O~

"Bella. Wake up." A voice interrupted my dream and I rolled away from it, onto my side, burrowing deeper into the bed.

"Bella." Hands began rubbing my back and I realized Edward was waking me up. I sat up abruptly, pulling away from him.

"What's wrong?" I gasped.

He put his hand on my arm, rubbing it.

"You're crying." He stated, his other hand reaching up to swipe across the back of my face.

I reached up and rubbed my eyes, feeling the wet moisture there.

"What were you dreaming about?" Edward asked, letting one hand rest on my leg, the other tracing my collarbone.

This moment, in the dark, felt taboo. With an older man in my bedroom while my parents slept just upstairs that could come down and check on me, catching us together at any moment.

"I don't remember." I whispered.

He nodded.

"Did my crying wake you up?" I questioned, slightly humiliated that I had been crying so loud that Edward woke up.

Shrugging, he said, "I was on my way to get a drink."

I nodded and lay back down.

"Thanks for waking me up. Let's go back to sleep." I didn't want to keep the poor man up for longer than need be.

"Okay."

He shifted his weight from sitting at the edge of the bed to a hands and knees position over me for a millisecond before he dropped behind me, wriggling to get the comforter over him as well.

"I meant in your own bed." I stated, even though I wanted him in here with me more than anything.

His body shook with a chuckle, and he scooted closer to me, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind, bending his body against mine.

"I misunderstood. Now I'm too comfortable to move." He kissed the back of my neck softly, and I silently praised myself for putting my hair in a sock bun on top of my head before going to sleep.

The dark made me feel like I could say anything to him. It was a comfort. A blanket that made the world go away and made me feel like it was just us, and whatever I said to him would be safe from anyone else.

"Why don't you practice anymore?" I blurted it without _really_ thinking, and then regretted it when he tensed up behind me.

His sharp exhale tickled the back of my neck.

"I didn't like the_ field of psychiatry_." He said the words bitterly.

I frowned.

"Why not? Edward, you studied to be a psychiatrist for _years_. You went through medical school and then a residency. How could you just not _like_ it and give it up?"

He was grinding his teeth so hard that I literally heard it.

"You give me an answer to my question earlier, if I give you an answer." He negotiated.

"Fine." I rolled my eyes for what felt like the millionth time today.

"I thought I would _enjoy _helping people. The only _problem_ is that to enjoy it, you have to _actually_ help them. They have to _want _to be helped. I worked in a large rehab facility. Most of my patients were court-ordered and _didn't_ want help. I had several commit suicide by overdose_. I didn't like it._" His words were hard and detached, and he spoke condescendingly, obviously irritated. I couldn't help the stab of pain that his attitude caused me.

"Well, _sor-ry_ for wanting to get to know you a little bit." I pulled myself out of his arms, which resulted in me dumping myself on the floor since we were only in a twin bed.

I stared at the darkness of the room for a moment before I saw movement over my head and Edwards face faintly appeared.

"Nice." The word was teased, and it slightly placated me. Mostly because I knew I was just being touchy. Edward didn't like to talk about it and I now knew why. He lost patients. He didn't do the one thing that he had dreamed about. It crushed his hopes and dreams of saving people.

"Come back to bed." He crooned. I shivered, and not because of the cold wooden floor beneath me.

I crawled back into bed, and he pulled me into the warm cage of his arms again.

"What were you thinking about earlier today?" He questioned, rubbing my arms.

I hesitated, thinking about how much I didn't want to have this conversation. However, a promise was a promise and I could be vague, just like he was.

"How different Renee was when I was a child." I stated.

He hummed, "Absentee parents. How old were you when she and your father divorced?" He stated.

My eyebrows pulled together, "Are you analyzing me?" I questioned.

He laughed from behind me.

"Maybe a little bit. I'm just trying to figure out what makes you, you."

Shaking my head, I answered his question, "Too young to remember it."

I felt him nod against my neck, "Okay."

After a few minutes of silence, he asked, "How different was she?"

Humming, I murmured, "Different."

He sighed behind me, tightening his arms.

"I want to go to sleep now." I whispered, mostly because I was done about Renee. I just wanted to go back to that little bubble of denial that we had started out in.

"Of course."

I didn't know what to say after that. Would 'goodnight' be too awkward? 'Sweet dreams' just sounded like I was talking to a child…

So I just decided I wouldn't say anything and I would leave it at that. _Maybe I should stay up until he falls asleep….just so he doesn't hear me do any talking. _

Seconds after that, I was asleep in his arms.

~O~

My blaring alarm clock woke me up and I cursed it, slamming my hand down on it harshly.

A deep groan sounded from behind me, and I felt my eyes widen.

_What the hell? _

And then I remembered. I remembered questioning Edward about how he _didn't like psychiatry_ and how I had told him Renee was _different _when I was a child.

He had stayed in here with me all night.

I rolled on my back and stared at the ceiling, thinking about what this could mean for us. Did this mean that he'd always sleep in my bed? That's couldn't be possible. After all, Renee and Phil are just above us.

_Renee! _

I gasped, jumping out of bed. What if she came down here? I'd be in huge ass trouble, that's what. And Edward would never get the chance to move out, 'cause he'd be dead.

Yep.

A warm hand slowly trailed down my bare leg.

"Why do you wake up so early? Come back to bed with me." His request made that tingling feeling come back in my stomach, and I took a deep breath before I turned to him. His hand trailed up and down the back of my thigh to my knee and stared up at me, lazily, his hair insane.

_This is gonna hurt._

"I can't. Renee could come down here any minute and see us in my bed."

_Ouch._

He held back a smirk.

"Do you really think I should be afraid of your mother?" He narrowed one eye and pursed his lips, shaking his head, cocking an eyebrow, letting his hand trail under my shorts at the back of my leg before he pulled them out and started the circuit again.

Trying to appear calm and failing completely, I said, "I wouldn't be afraid of my Mother, either. But I do have a dad you know. Charlie. Chief of police. Big fan of guns. He's got a lot of buddies, too. Buddies that could hide a body really easily in those woods out there."

He looked me up and down.

"I get the picture. I'll go get dressed and drive you to school, yea?"

I nodded, "Sounds good." Who cares about my reputation anymore? So I was the new school slut. If anything, that just guaranteed more friends.

Walking over to my dresser to pick out clothes for the day, I watched Edward pull himself on my bed and noticed something I hadn't last night.

He was shirtless again.

Dear god almighty.

I watched him in the mirror, tracing his muscled back with my eyes as he stretched languidly, tensing all his muscles before relaxing them. I felt my lips part as I tried to take a deep breath. The ink on his skin simply made him even more attractive. The deep black of them next to his pale skin made me want to lick him.

_Good god, could he be any more perfect?_

He turned, midstretch and I caught an eyeful of his six pack.

_Nope. He was the epitome of perfect. Michael Angelo's David. _

Edward cleared his throat, and my eyes snapped up to his in the mirror.

He licked his lips and winked before walking out of my bedroom.

_Nice. Could you be any more obvious, Bella? _

~O~

After I showered and dressed, Renee and I sat at the table eating poptarts and drinking coffee, just like normal.

"So, what did Edward say to you last night?" She took a sip of coffee.

I hesitated.

"Oh, come on!" She exclaimed, nudging my arm.

I rolled my eyes, "He didn't say much. We just went to the park and watched the ducks. He gave me my shoe." I shrugged, as if it was no big deal.

She raised her eyebrows, "So that's all you needed? Silence? I don't believe it."

_Not everyone is exactly like you, Renee._

Edward walked into the kitchen behind her, effectively saving me and ending the conversation.

"Good morning, ladies!" He sent us a large smile, before he walked over to the coffee and began to fill his thermos.

He's a morning person. Maybe our relationship won't work out after all.

Renee and I stared at him with our eyebrows raised. He turned to us after filling his thermos and his eyebrows pulled together.

"What?"

"You can't live here anymore." Renee stated.

"Why?" He asked, looking at me and raising an eyebrow. But he didn't look panicked, just curious.

"You're a morning person." She stated.

He smirked, "Yeah. I get it from my mom." Changing the subject, he pointed at me, "I told Bella I'd give her a ride to school. Is that okay with you?"

Renee nodded.

"Yes! I can go back to sleep. Because of this act, you may stay." She stood up with no shame at all, walking into her bedroom.

Edward looked at me, "Well at least I know who you get it from." He walked around the table and stood behind me, "Can I have a good morning kiss, since I didn't get it earlier?" I turned my head to look at him, but before I could speak his mouth was on my mine for a brief moment before he pulled away.

I raised my hand and put it on the back of his neck, pulling him toward me again.

He resisted, shaking his head.

"If you want some more, you're going to have to come and get it."

Standing up straight he snatched the last of my poptart off my plate. He broke the piece in half, popping half into his mouth and placing the other half in front of my lips.

I raised my eyebrows.

"You know you want it. Let me give it to you." I felt my chest expand as I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

"That's it." He stated, placing the piece on my tongue. His eyes looked straight into mine, burning me.

His fingers were still in my mouth, so I slowly closed it, mostly because it was awkward just holding my mouth open with a little bit of poptart on my tongue. I pulled my head back, causing his fingers to slide out, as my tongue flicked the ends of his fingers.

He placed his hand back at his side, his nostrils flaring.

"We better go." He said roughly, walking over to the counter where he had ditched his thermos to pick it up. I stood, my stomach tingling and my breathing fast as I burned, from the inside out.

We walked out the door to his motorcycle, and this time when he held the helmet out to me, I shook my head.

"You need it." He stated.

"You don't wear one." I pointed out, determined to win this battle.

He clenched his jaw.

"You're not getting on this thing until you have this on." He placed it carefully on my head, buckling it under my chin.

When we were on the motorcycle, I had this insane urge to take it off and tell him that he didn't say I had to wear while we were _on_ the motorcycle, just that I had to wear it to _get_ on the motorcycle, but I decided that was a little too immature and just wrapped my arms around his waist ready to speed through the streets.

It didn't take us long to get to the school, and I hesitated as I got off the bike, not quite ready to leave him.

I handed him his helmet, but before I could speak, someone yelled my name from across from us.

"Bella! Yo, Bella!" Mike Newton screamed, waving his hand ridiculously.

"Hang on, Mike!" I called, waving awkwardly.

I turned to Edward to say goodbye, but he was staring past me, at Mike, glaring maliciously.

"Edward? You okay there?" I put my hand on his shoulder.

His eyes snapped to mine.

"Skip school today." He placed his hand on mine that was on his shoulder and letting it run down my arm, down my waist to stop at my hip.

He gripped it tightly, pulling me close to him. His eyes were hard.

My eyebrows pulled together.

"Why?"

"Come spend the day with me." He squeezed my hip.

Even though I didn't skip often, I suddenly wanted to do it very badly. Looking into his eyes, I thought about what classes I had today and what we were doing in each of them.

"Bella?" Mike called again, as I rode past him on the back of Edwards' motorcycle a moment later, shrugging apologetically.

But, I didn't feel bad. Because with Edward is exactly where I wanted to be.


	8. Chapter Seven TEASER!

**You guys know I'm not huge on leaving Authors notes so this is important! Please read.  
**

**Chapter Seven TEASER!**

**I am giving you this teaser because I love you.**

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**Also, I will replace this chapter with Chapter Seven, so if you want to review and tell me something about this authors note or chapter, either PM me or do it anonymously so that you can review Chapter Seven!  
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* * *

As we sped along the highway, I began to worry if I was going to be in trouble for ditching school today. Renee wouldn't mind-after all, usually when I didn't go, it was because we were going on a shopping spree because of a break up, or she felt we needed bonding time. Renee didn't care if I didn't go to school, as long as I came home with good grades.

She trusted that I was responsible enough to figure out my own way. To repay her for trusting me, I had begun dating a man fifteen years older than me.

I suck. I am officially the crappiest daughter ever.

Suddenly, the motorcycle came to a halt, and was turned off. We were at the park again.

"What is it with you and the park?" I asked Edward as I took off his helmet and pulled myself off the bike.

He smirked at me, shrugging as he pulled himself off the bike.

I started to walk over to the bench where we had sat last night, but he tugged my hand the opposite way, pulling me to a grassy area with trees surrounding it.

He plopped down with his back against the tree, and then spread his legs patting the ground between them.

"Sit with me."

I sat between his legs, and he wrapped his arms around me.

The grass was wet from the sprinklers this morning.

"My ass is going to be all wet." I stated.

His body shook behind me.

"I would say 'I'm sorry'-"

I cut him off, "But you're not?"

He hummed as he moved my hair around my shoulder, to kiss my neck, open mouthed.

I squirmed as my stomach clenched.

"Um….shouldn't we talk or something?" My voice was embarrassingly high.

In response, he sucked on my neck softly.

"That's…..That's a no, right?" I let my hands drop to the grass outside of his legs, and I fisted it in my hands.

My breaths got shallower as he moved one hand to my hip, rubbing it firmly while the other hand mirrored the action right below my breast, on my rib cage.

I squirmed again, wishing he would move his hands _just a little bit._

"Uh….We're in public." I stated the obvious.

He kissed my neck once, moving both of his hands to squeeze my waist.

"Okay, sweet girl. What do you want to talk about?"


	9. Chapter Seven FULL

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Six_

As we sped along the highway, I began to worry if I was going to be in trouble for ditching school today. Renee wouldn't mind-after all, usually when I didn't go, it was because we were going on a shopping spree because of a break up, or she felt we needed bonding time. Renee didn't care if I didn't go to school, as long as I came home with good grades.

She trusted that I was responsible enough to figure out my own way. To repay her for trusting me, I had begun dating a man fifteen years older than me.

I suck. I am officially the crappiest daughter ever.

Suddenly, the motorcycle came to a halt, and was turned off. We were at the park again.

"What is it with you and the park?" I asked Edward as I took off his helmet and pulled myself off the bike.

He smirked at me, shrugging as he pulled himself off the bike.

I started to walk over to the bench where we had sat last night, but he tugged my hand the opposite way, pulling me to a grassy area with trees surrounding it.

He plopped down with his back against the tree, and then spread his legs patting the ground between them.

"Sit with me."

I sat between his legs, and he wrapped his arms around me.

The grass was wet from the sprinklers this morning.

"My ass is going to be all wet." I stated.

His body shook behind me.

"I would say 'I'm sorry'-"

I cut him off, "But you're not?"

He hummed as he moved my hair around my shoulder, to kiss my neck, open mouthed.

I squirmed as my stomach clenched.

"Um….shouldn't we talk or something?" My voice was embarrassingly high.

In response, he sucked on my neck softly.

"That's…..That's a no, right?" I let my hands drop to the grass outside of his legs, and I fisted it in my hands.

My breaths got shallower as he moved one hand to my hip, rubbing it firmly while the other hand mirrored the action right below my breast, on my rib cage.

I squirmed again, wishing he would move his hands _just a little bit._

"Uh….We're in public." I stated the obvious.

He kissed my neck once, moving both of his hands to squeeze my waist.

"Okay, lovely. What do you want to talk about?"

I leaned back against him.

"I don't really know…Do you think we are moving really fast?" After all, he had only moved in on Saturday. Which means in three days, he'll have been here one week.

A week.

That's it.

Good God, I'm a ho.

Hussy nodded at me, folding her arms across her chest, silently confirming my last thoughts.

Bitch.

"Does moving at this pace feel wrong to you? Or do you think it _should_ feel wrong?" Edward broke me out of my train of thought.

Taking a minute before I responded, I thought about his question. Being with him didn't _feel _wrong. Even though I could ruin my relationship with people I love, even though in society's eyes, this could _never_ be right.

_I_ thought it felt right. And, as Edward had said, that was all that mattered.

_Fuck everyone else. _

All of this for a man I had barely known for a week.

"It doesn't feel wrong." I stated, confident in my decision.

"_Then we won't let _people_ make it feel wrong, Isabella_. To me, something that feels this _right_ couldn't be wrong. If that's how you feel, then fuck everyone else."

He squeezed his arms around me, and in the cage of his arms, I felt reassured.

I took a deep breath, finally expressing a fear.

"What if I lose my family?"

He hummed, "You have me."

Did that mean what I think it meant? Were we really going to get into that serious of a relationship? This wasn't just going to be some fling with an older man? This was serious. I had to make a decision, because if I was going to be in this, I was going to have to be all in.

"Are you all in?" I asked him, hoping he understood what I meant.

He sighed into my neck and his lips moved against it as he spoke.

"You're gonna make me spell this out for you, huh pretty girl? Okay then. Bella, this wasn't ever about cheap thrills for me. I'm not doing this because of the excitement of dating someone _fifteen_ years younger than me. Renee told me about you during every interview, and I liked the stories that she told of your intelligence and snarkiness. You walked into the kitchen, and you were beautiful. I liked you. The more we talked the more I liked you. _I like you._ _I'm all in._"

Possibly for the first time, he wasn't slightly flippant about something. He had spoken earnestly for once. And he was in.

However, the real question in all of this was, _am I?_

~O~

We sat in the park for longer than I thought we were going to, just staring at the ducks in a quiet silence.

But, because I am who I am I couldn't help but blurt out a question once in a while.

"Do you have a job?" I questioned after maybe ten minutes of sitting quietly.

His body shook behind me, "You couldn't possibly sit here and just enjoy me, could you?" I could hear his smirk in his voice.

I huffed, "I could. I just don't know anything about you."

He disregarded that and answered my question, "No, I don't."

I pursed my lips.

"How do you pay for everything?"

His hands slid down my sides to rest on my hips that were snuggled between his thighs.

"I have plenty of money, Isabella. Don't worry about it." He squeezed my hips. He called me by my full name. That would be the second time.

After another few minutes of playing our conversation in my mind, I blurted out, "Why do you call me 'Isabella'?" His head dropped to rest on the back of my neck.

"Why does it _matter_?" He asked, clearly getting frustrated with my lack of silence and annoying questions.

I shrugged, "I want to know."

He exhaled harshly and the air hit my neck and made me shiver.

"I just do." He answered, leaning back again so he could rest against the tree.

I slapped the ground, annoyed and turned as much as I could while sitting between his legs.

"We're never going to get to know each other if you don't talk to me." I stated, glaring at him.

He smirked, leaning in so close his lips brushed mine when he spoke, "I already know you."

I rolled my eyes, "Rethink that statement. I bet you can't name ten things about me."

His lips brushed mine, "Challenge accepted." His hands moved to my waist and guided me to lean against him again.

He kissed the corner of my mouth, "When you get angry you take things out on anyone who gets in the war path."

Sucking my jaw, he whispered, "You're not a morning person, so you drink too much coffee."

I began to pant.

His hands moved from resting on my hips to holding my waist, "You like to blast angry music when you're mad.

"When you're trying to hide your pain, you roll your eyes." I exhaled, then interrupted the next words that were about to come out of his mouth.

"No, I don't!" I exclaimed.

He sucked under my ear. "Yes you do. Stop interrupting."

"When you_ are_ in pain, you freeze people out." He pulled my shirt to the side so he could kiss and nibble my shoulder with his teeth. My eyes slid shut while my head lolled back onto his shoulder.

"You overanalyze everything." His fingers that were resting on my ribcage crept up and began rubbing the curve of my breast tantalizingly.

My fingers moved from the grass to his jeans, which I fisted in my hands. My stomach clenched and unclenched, as he licked at my shoulder with open mouthed kisses.

"You're too independent for your age because you were always the adult in the relationship between you and your parents." My eyes opened to look at the leaves above us.

This had gone from him telling me what _he_ knew about me, to him telling me things _I_ hadn't even known about myself.

I swallowed loudly.

His lips trailed up to my ear to whisper in it again, "You don't like Cherry Pie."

My eyebrows pulled together.

"How did-"

"The night I met you, you ate four bites before you crushed it up and played with it. You didn't chew, choosing to swallow every bite whole. Stop interrupting." He bit my earlobe, and then sucked on it.

"You're competitive because you're used to winning." His hand dragged between my breasts to trace my collar bone.

I shuddered, my nerve endings were shot, making his touch burn. I could feel my panties begin to get wet as I squirmed and my face heated up at the realization.

"You like to be alone, probably because you've spent way too much time that way." He turned his head and kissed my cheek.

I turned my head to look at him and he stared at my lips, descending to kiss the corner of my mouth before he spoke again, his hands retreating to my hips again.

"And you struggle with the thought of us because you care too much about what everyone else thinks." He kissed me hard on the mouth, pushing his tongue in to stroke against mine for a moment before he pulled away.

"Just enjoy me for a minute." He kissed my lips again, and then leaned back against the tree, my head still on his shoulder.

And, he got what he had wanted all along.

I was finally silent.

~O~

When it was time for lunch, we stood up and hopped on the bike. Edward drove me to a local diner, and parked.

He chose a simple booth and we sat and waited for the waitress to come and take our order.

It was silent while we perused the menu's, and after deciding what I was going to get, I sat my menu down and stared at Edwards hair-the only part of him I could see over his menu.

"You take forever to order." I stated.

He lowered his menu to glare at me before raising it back up.

I tapped the table.

_Tap tap tap tap._

_Tap tap._

"Did you check the senior discount? Maybe you're old enough to get it." He dropped his menu and covered my fingers with his hand.

"Did you check the kiddie menu?" He raised his eyebrows.

I glowered.

"Point made." He picked up his menu again.

Leaning back in my seat, I took a look around the diner. It was mostly empty except for a few stragglers that came for early lunches, or late breakfasts.

A guy across from us at the counter kept turning his head and looking at us out of the corner of his eye.

I frowned.

_What's his issue?_

Then I noticed he wasn't the only one.

Basically everyone in the place was sneaking glances of us out of the corner of their eyes.

I had forgotten what going out with Edward was like.

And what it would forever be like.

I played with my silverware.

Edward set his menu down, leaning back in his seat; he popped his foot onto the seat next to me.

I looked everywhere but him.

"What's wrong?" He asked me, exhaling loudly.

"Everyone's looking at us." I didn't bother sugar coating it for him.

"So?"

I faltered.

_And you struggle with the thought of us because you care too much about what everyone else thinks._

Finally, I looked up at him.

"So?" I repeated his words to him.

He raised his eyebrow, "Are you ashamed of me? Cause if you are, you had better tell me now."

I glared, "Are _you_ ashamed of _me_?" I threw back at him, automatically defensive.

"Jesus, Bella! We've been through this _too many times_!" He snapped, raking his hands through his hair, tugging harshly at the ends.

Suddenly, he was moving over to my side of the booth, shoving me so that my back was against the wall, his arm on the back of the booth, his other hand on the window next to my head, caging me in.

"_I want you. I'm not ashamed._ I'm not going to convince you every _fucking _day of that. Either you believe in this-in _me_- or you don't." His nostrils were flared and his eyes burned-not in the good way- as he stared down at me.

I swallowed heavily.

"I'm-I'm sorry." I said, wanting his reassuring touch. So I grabbed his hands, then reached up to cup my jaw in them. He closed his eyes and exhaled sharply, relaxing into the booth, rubbing little circles with his thumbs.

I let my hand travel down his neck to the middle of his chest, splaying my fingers, palms flat.

"I'm not ashamed." I said.

He nodded, staring down at my hands, before he dropped his and moved to his side of the booth.

Great.

I had officially pissed him off.

Just great.

~O~

Edward picked at his food while I shoveled mine down.

So I stress eat. Sue me.

I finished my entire plate, and the milk shake, while Edward watched, taking a small bite every now and then.

"You want mine too?" He asked, raising his eyebrow when I had finally finished.

I flipped him off.

His lips quirked and I could tell he was fighting off a smile. Or a smirk. Because, in the few days I had known him, I had realized that Edward rarely smiled.

Now seemed like a good time to apologize.

"I'm sorry for being a bitch." I repeated the words that I had told him I was going to say to Renee last night.

He smirked-surprise, surprise-and I felt even more my age because I wanted to whoop and holler like an idiot.

"I'm sorry for being a dick." I smiled.

Standing up, he tossed a twenty on the table, and held his hand out to me. I took it, rubbing my stomach apologetically as we walked out.

_I'm sorry, Tummy._

He sat down on his bike, but instead of me sitting behind him, I pulled myself up to straddle him, my butt resting between his legs, my thighs draped over his.

"I really am sorry." I rested my hands on his biceps.

He wrapped his arms around me.

"Isabella. Stop overthinking. I forgave you. Now you need to forgive yourself." He kissed my temple.

I hugged him around his neck tightly, squeezing my eyes shut.

He squeezed me around the waist.

Our tender moment was ruined when his hands slid down to my ass. He rested his hands on it, neither grabbing nor groping.

When he patted my bottom lightly, I pushed him away, shoving his arms off me and moved behind him on the bike.

His body shook with laughter the entire way home.

We pulled into the driveway. There was no car here, which meant that no one was here but us.

Well, at least I wasn't going to get busted for ditching school.

"School doesn't get out for another two hours." I stated, as we walked inside.

He shrugged, pulling me down the stairs and past the couch to his door. I hesitated in the doorway. I had never been in his room before. In fact, I hadn't even seen his room at a peek.

"You coming in?" he asked, his back to me.

I nodded, even though he couldn't see, and walked in.

He had a black leather love seat immediately on the left as you walked in, and on the wall in front of it was a flat screen tv, next to a book shelf stuffed full of CD's and books.

His double bed was where I thought it was, on the wall that we shared, covered in a simple black spread. Next to it was a dark cherry wood dresser, with an alarm clock, loose change, and a half full glass of water on it. To the left of that was a desk with nothing on it but a lamp.

Edward slipped off his leather jacket-exposing his short sleeve shirt, along with his tattoos- tossing it onto the couch before he plopped onto the bed.

"What do you think?" He asked, gesturing lazily with one hand to the room.

I shrugged. This room was very him. Clean cut on the outside with very little clues to what it would look like if you opened drawers and went digging around for stuff.

"There's no pictures." I stated.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Go exploring if you want." He rested his hands behind his head, lacing his fingers together.

My heart skipped a beat at the sight of his long, lean body stretched comfortably on the bed, but I resisted, taking him up on his offer.

Hussy bounded onto the bed to lay on his chest in my absence.

I walked over to his dresser, opening his top drawer, then immediately slammed it shut.

Edward laughed from the bed, "Afraid of my underwear, lovely?"

Blushing, I mentally crossed off a question on my list.

_Boxers or briefs? _

_Boxers._

Well, at least I had learned one thing.

I opened the second drawer down. Black t-shirts.

Third drawer. Pants.

Forth drawer.

"Don't look at those. Doctor-patient confidentiality." He said, before I could even figure out what all of the papers were.

Notes on previous patients. At home. In his drawer.

"Why do you have them?" I wondered out loud.

I saw him shrug out of the corner of my eye. There weren't very many. He obviously hadn't taken all of the records.

I shut the drawer, deciding to let it drop for now.

"Come lay down with me." Edward's lazy voice drifted over to me as I walked over to his desk.

Glancing at him, I nodded.

"Okay." I crawled onto his bed, lying halfway on top of him.

I traced the tattoo on the inside of his arm, the words 'What goes around, comes around' inked down his forearm in beautiful calligraphy.

"Why did you get it?" I asked him curiously.

He exhale was heavy, and he closed his eyes.

"My mother is a big believer in karma. She's said that to my siblings and me since we were children. A warning to teach us to be nice to each other, I suppose. When I started working, I had an experience that sensitized me to the words, so I put them on my body so I would never forget their significance."

I thought about that for a minute, deciding not to ask any questions about the 'experience', so I just nodded. He placed his hand on the back of my neck, pulling me gently down to his shoulder. I wanted to look at all of his other tattoos, which, as far as I could tell, he had four more. One on the arm around my waist, the bird on his heart, as well as the phrase on his side, than one on his back that I had gotten a peek of this morning while he stretched.

But, he was rubbing my back, and I couldn't help but close my eyes and melt into him.

Warm. So warm.

"Are you tired?" He asked me after a few minutes.

"Mmmhmm." My voice was rough and quiet.

"You gonna fall asleep, baby?" He asked.

I didn't bother answering him as I slipped into darkness, asleep only a few minutes after lying down with him.

When I woke up, I was alone on the bed, sprawled on my back, taking up nearly the entire thing. The first thing that broke through my awareness was that something smelled delicious. Spicy, yet sweet, like the cologne that you smell at the store because you just can't help it. The next thing that I noticed was that I was not in my bed. Or my room. Still in my house, yes, but in Edwards room. With Edward nowhere to be seen.

I sat up, listening for Renee, but I couldn't hear her loud enthusiastic voice. So, I pulled myself out of bed and looked around his room.

It was the same it had been when I fell asleep except for the turned off light, and shut curtains to block out the sun. Sighing, I briefly thought about walking over to his desk to go through it, but decided against it almost immediately. I wouldn't snoop around when he wasn't in here to watch me do it.

Although those files in his bottom drawer sure were curious…

Pursing my lips, I felt my eyes dart around to make sure Edward wasn't here. Once I confirmed he hadn't snuck in while I stared at his dresser drawer obsessively, I tip toed over to the door and cracked it open. He wasn't in the basement unless he was in the bathroom.

I craned my neck to try and see if the light was on but couldn't tell from my location, so I walked out of his room slowly, as I stealthily snuck closer to the bathroom to see if the light was on.

My stealth ways failed epically when I stepped on small piece of wood that drove its way into my toe painfully.

"MOTHERFU-Oh, OW! Son of a bitch! PAIN! LOTS OF PAIN!" I hopped around on one foot, ridiculously, screaming out expletives in agony. I'm definitely not a 'silent sufferer'.

And because my humiliation wasn't quite perfected, Edward walked down the stairs, raising a questioning eyebrow.

I pointed to my toe pitifully.

"You got a splinter?" He questioned, looking at me funny.

Nodding, I widened my eyes and stuck out my bottom lip in a pout.

He smirked, walking over to me as I balanced on one foot, still clutching my other one in my grasp.

"Awe. Poor baby." He patted my head as he cooed teasingly.

I glared.

"It hurts! _Obviously_ you've never _felt_ this kind of agony before!"

He laughed, and I couldn't help but smile, despite my throbbing big toe.

Taking in my balanced figure, he rolled his eyes, scooping me up and taking me back to his room where he laid me on the bed.

"I'll go get some tweezers." He walked into the bathroom and came back a moment later with tweezers and-

_Dear God. I know we don't speak often, but please help me through, in this, my time of need. Seeing Edward in his glasses has reduced me to a blubbering buffoon. Help me piece together proper sentences. And, god, please help me close my mouth._

My prayer went unfortunately unheard, as Edward turned on the lamp on his dresser, pulling it toward us so he could get a better look.

"Ouch. It's a big one." He stated.

_Don't do it, Bella. Don't do it, don't do-_

"That's why it hurt when it went in!" I exclaimed, purposefully adding to his unknown innuendo.

_Crazy bitch, why don't you _ever_ listen to me?_

But he didn't mind, smirking and shaking his head as he yanked my leg up so that my foot could get closer to his face.

"Good god man, are you blind?" I blurted out, gesturing to his glasses, as well as my foot, which was about an inch away from his face.

Raising an eyebrow, his thumb suddenly came down on the splinter, pressing albeit gently, but hard enough to make me howl.

"Oh, did that hurt?" He asked, blinking innocently.

"You're mean." I stated, attempting to pull my foot from his grasp.

He shook his head, patting my stomach in apology and scooting closer so that he sat sideways between my legs, my right leg resting on his lap, foot in his face, while my other leg rested on his back, bent because of my foot flat on the bed.

Bending forward, he obstructed my vision, but not enough that I didn't see the tweezers go toward my foot.

"No, no! Just leave it in there! I really don't mind! My foot will be colorful! I like colors!" I started to panic, pulling my foot from his grasp.

He grabbed it again.

"You are a wimp." He stated, slowly, before he bent forward again, this time using his back to block my line of sight rather effectively.

I felt the cold metal touch my foot for a split second, then the pinch as Edward grabbed hold of the splinted with the tweezers before the sting of the wood being pulled out. And, just like that it was over, and he turned toward me.

"Wanna see it?" He questioned.

I nodded, wriggling my toes in relief, and successfully managing not to say 'that's what she said!'

He held the tweezers under the lamp light. It was just a small, sharp piece of wood. That something so small could cause a deathly amount of pain shocked me.

"I hate splinters." I stated.

Edward nodded, "I gathered that."

Standing up, he walked to the bathroom. He had just walked out when his phone began to vibrate on the dresser next to the bed. I stood up, walking over to it.

_Alice_

My eyebrows pulled together. And, however immature it may be, I felt a sting of betrayal and disappointment.

I darted to my room, shutting the door quietly behind me. I sat on my bed, curled in the middle. I thought about who 'Alice' was, and what 'Alice' could possibly mean to him.

An ex-girlfriend, maybe? Someone older who could offer him the seductive thought of actually being open in a relationship without having to worry about age? An even tempered girl who wasn't dramatic and over emotional at every twitch of the minute hand on a clock?...Someone more beautiful?

"Bella?" Edward didn't knock, choosing to walk right into my bedroom.

"What's up?" I questioned, trying to sound unaffected.

"Well you were in my room a minute ago, and now you're in here with the door closed. My guess is that something happened in the 60 seconds that I was in the bathroom."

"Who's Alice?" I asked him.

He shrugged, "My sister. Why?"

My lips pursed in humiliation.

"No reason. She called your phone." _Appear casual. _

"Okay." He nodded, "I'll call her back later."

"Okay." I shrugged.

But, I knew he knew exactly what happened by the smirk he had as he grabbed my hand and pulled me up the stairs, out to the balcony so he could have a cigarette.

_God, I'm an idiot._

* * *

**Authors note: It's a little later than I thought. Sorry about that people.**

**I was just going to add the full chapter to the slot already designated for 'Chapter Seven' but I didn't want you guys to not be able to review and leave your comments for the entire chapter! **

**You guys are wonderful! Thank you for voting for me! I love you all! It means so much that you guys would be so kind as to nominating me for stuff, as well as voting for me!  
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**So, this chapter is the longest one so far.  
**

**I may update more this week because i'm going on a camping trip. And I hate camping so I usually lock myself in the camper...and spend the entire time on my laptop! Good for you guys, yeah?  
**

**Tell me what you thought of the chapter! I will probably send out teasers for this one.  
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**-Drinking. :)  
**


	10. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Eight_

Later that night, Edward and I sat downstairs in the living room watching an episode of Psych, when Renee called me upstairs.

I left Edward there, walking up to meet her in the kitchen.

She was sitting at the table, hands laced together in front of her, eyebrow raised. She was in parent mode.

"Did you ditch school today?" She asked me.

_Busted._

Pursing my lips I shifted onto the balls of my feet, shoving my hands into my pockets.

"…No?" It came out as more of a weak question than a definitive, confident answer like I had wanted it to be.

She dropped her head forward, raising her eyebrows.

"…Yes?" I questioned again, trying an innocent smile, fluttering my eyelashes slowly.

"Cute." She nodded, gesturing to the seat in front of her.

I sat at the table across from her, deciding not to beat around the bush, "Am I in trouble?"

She shrugged, shaking her head.

"No. Kids cut school all the time. I don't mind if you do it every once in a while. I just want to know why you ditched, and who you ditched with."

This conversation was so typically Renee. She didn't care that I did it; she just wanted to know why. She understood that every once in a while, kids need a break from school, and if that means ditching a day then so be it.

"I just…Needed a little break from school. It's been harder to go lately, and I thought it would be so nice to just take a day to relax." You have to admit, I bullshit damn well.

She smiled, "Okay, so you didn't want to go to school. Who'd you go with?"

I shrugged, tracing shapes on the table with my fingers.

She gave me the bitch brow.

"Did you hang out with Edward? I noticed he didn't come back after taking you to school." She grinned evilly, mostly because she had already known the answer.

I nodded. "Are you mad?"

She exhaled, leaning back in her chair, officially ending the interrogation so we could talk as we always had; as friends, rather than as mother and daughter.

"Let's go into the living room." She gestured to the living room adjoining the kitchen, and stood up.

I knew what was about to happen. When I was a child, and she was working god knows how many jobs, I would hear her come home, pay the baby sitter and sit down and watch TV to relax a bit before she went to sleep. I would come out and lay on the couch, my head in her lap. Without saying a word, she would run her fingers through my hair and trace my face with her fingers. Every night I fell asleep that way, and the next morning I would wake next to her in our double bed.

When we got to the room, she sat on the couch, placing a pillow on her lap in a gesture so familiar my eyes watered. I lay down and leaned back, allowing her to do something she hadn't done in years.

She pulled her fingers through my hair slowly, looking down at me adoringly.

"I'm not upset. I just…worry about you. I don't want you to develop a crush on him and get your heart broken, Bella." She placed a hand on my cheek, "I love you too much to watch you go through everything I went through. I want you to be happy. I want your first relationship to also be the last because it's just that perfect. I want to watch you get married and have babies…" She trailed off, realizing she had gotten off subject.

I nodded, closing my eyes. The truth bubbled on my tongue, and my stomach hurt. I wanted to tell her everything. Renee had always been someone I could talk to. I was always able to tell her everything when we were in the car on our way home or to the babysitters. She listened to my jokes, and laughed at my stupid childish stories.

She was my best friend. And I was so ashamed I had forgotten that.

Tears built up in my eyes.

"Mom…"I trailed off. She rubbed her hands through my hair, again in an attempt to soothe me.

"Did you two have fun?" She questioned, changing the subject, beginning to trace my face with her finger, slowly. My nose, my closed eyes, then my lips and cheekbones, in a circuit over and over again, and I relaxed despite the situation, despite the subject of our conversation.

"Yeah. We went to the park again, and then went to lunch. I took a nap. He's a nice guy." I told her briefly, my heat burning in my chest, and my stomach knotting.

She traced my closed eyelids.

"Yes, he is. He's a good man, Bella. I can understand why you took to him so fast. He's sweet and funny, with a little bit of a bad boy personality. Just be careful, sweetie. I don't mind you two being friends, but I don't want you ditching school with him again, okay?" She pulled one of my eyelids up so I would look her in the eye.

"Okay, Mom. I hear you." I tried to smile but grimaced instead.

"Come here, baby." She patted my shoulder so I would sit up, and I did so, reaching over to hug her tightly. She squeezed me around the waist, and I finally let the tears fall that had been building up behind my eyes as I realized what I had done.

I had betrayed her trust, and, in doing so, I hurt myself; a masochistic cycle that I couldn't break, because I wanted Edward so badly; a man I hadn't even known for a week.

He was the one that I wanted so badly, but I could never fully have. He represented the perfect relationship that Renee talked about, but at the same time, her worst nightmare. A thirty two year old man who chased after her daughter; her daughter who yearned for a thirty two year old man.

"Are you okay, sweets?" She asked me pulling back.

I nodded as she wiped my tears away.

Instead of blurting out everything, but still trying to communicate exactly what I felt, I replied, "I love you so much, Mom."

She smiled, softly.

"I love you too, baby." She hugged me close again.

I had never felt more reassured or loved by Renee.

I had also never felt more self-loathing for myself.

~O~

After my talk with Renee, I took a shower and blew my hair straight so I could sleep in the next morning, then walked down the stairs. Edward sat on the couch, watching a different episode of Psych.

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

I shrugged and nodded, telling him I was tired and was headed off to bed. Even though he only shouldered half of the blame in the relationship, I was blaming him, angry that I liked him, that he was beautiful and perfect. He followed me into my room.

"What?" I questioned, curiously, pushing back my irrational anger.

"You could sleep with me in my room tonight." He stated, lying on my bed. I pulled pajamas out of my drawer, looking back at him in the mirror.

And, because he was him, I said yes, even though it wasn't a question. I pulled on my comfy pajamas, while Edward went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth, pulling on some pajama pants while he was in there, ditching his shirt.

He hopped into his bed comfortably, holding his arms out to me. I crawled into him, burying my face against the bare flesh off his chest. I wanted him to comfort me about what had happened with Renee. I needed his reassurance and the spark of his touch against my skin. I wanted to feel the warmth and the ice cold burning spread through my veins. I wanted him to tell me it was okay that I was lying to my mom and that I was burning inside from the fire of my lies.

_"What if I lose my family?"_

_"You have me."_

_"Jesus, Bella! We've been through this _too many times_!"_

I sighed, remembering his words. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pushed myself even deeper into him, seeking the rawness of his touch.

He rubbed my back.

"Baby girl."

"What happened with Renee?" He asked, his hand trailing to the small of my back and up to the back of my head, lacing his fingers in my hair and tugging so I would look at him. I knew he didn't really care, and he was just being polite because he knew I was upset.

I stayed in my little cocoon of despair.

"She figured out I ditched." My muffled voice was loud enough that he heard it.

"And?" He questioned, rubbing my back again.

"She didn't care. Even when I told her I was with you." He nodded against the side of my head.

"Okay."

"She's worried…" I trailed off, and I felt him nod against my head again.

I sighed, staying quiet.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said after a while. I was done talking.

He shrugged, "Then don't, lovely. Just forget about everything. That's what I do when I'm with you. Let's forget about everything. Just enjoy me." The suggestion was seductive, and I couldn't help but oblige; because it's all that I wanted. I wanted to enjoy him and block out the world. I wanted to forget about my life and just lose myself in his burning embrace. Forget about my lies, forget about my pain. Live ignorantly. Because _ignorance is bliss._

"Okay." I breathed, even though I knew this was toxic. I knew that this couldn't end well. The world would creep and crawl in while Edward and I hid in one large bubble of ignorance and denial.

And I was powerless to stop it, because no matter the price, I wanted him.

_All in._

~O~

The next morning, I struggled to get out of bed. My phone alarm went off, screaming at me loudly. I reached onto Edwards' dresser and turned it off, bringing my phone into the bed with us and snuggling back into his arms comfortably.

He lay on his back and I lay on my stomach, halfway on top of him, my head on his shoulder, my phone in my hand that was on his heart.

He stirred.

"You have to get up, baby?" his hand rubbed my back lazily.

I nodded, groaning. His room was dark, and the bed was comfortable. Not to mention the fact that I was laying in his arms, surrounded by his scent.

Snuggling closer, my body relaxed as I started to drift.

A hand smacked my ass.

"Up." He rubbed at the spot that he slapped.

After that, there was no way in hell that I was going to be able to go back to sleep, so I pulled myself up, out of his arms and trudged into my room to get some clothes.

Pushing last night's dramatics out of my mind, I began to get dressed, throwing on a simple black Volcom t-shirt with the logo up on my right shoulder, and some dark wash jeans.

My makeup was simple. Mascara. Eyeliner. Concealer.

When I went upstairs, Renee wasn't bustling around making the coffee and poptarts. Instead she was in the bathroom, bent over the toilet, ejecting whatever she had eaten last night.

I went to her, desperately trying to ignore the sour smell of the bathroom, and held her hair back with one hand while rubbing her back with the other.

"Are you okay?" I asked, grabbing a wash cloth from the drawer and getting it wet with cold water. I placed it on the back of her neck and she moaned appreciatively.

"Bella. Ask Edward to take you to school for me. Phil is getting ready for a big interview." She rubbed my leg, ignoring my question.

"Okay." I said, and walked out of the room, faintly hearing her as she says, "And don't ditch again."

Edwards room was dark still went I walked in, and I couldn't help but crawl into the bed and stretch across him comfortably.

"Need a ride, baby?" He asked, wrapping his arms around me.

"Yes." I leaned forward and kissed his chin.

"Okay. Have you had breakfast?" He questioned, cracking an eye open.

I shook my head.

"I'll buy you some." I pulled myself off of him and went to my room to put on my converse. He followed after me, a black t-shirt now over his head as well as some light wash baggy jeans.

"What do you want for breakfast?" he asked, pushing his laces into his shoes and shoving them on.

Shrugging, I said, "Mcdonalds." Because I wanted a hashbrown.

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, pulling me out of my room by my hand and up the stairs. As we walked out, I yelled, "Bye, Mom! Hope you feel better!" earning no response but a loud groan from the direction of the bathroom.

"She's sick." Edward said as we climbed onto the bike.

I nodded.

He lit a cigarette and took a couple drags as he started the bike and drove, letting the smoke hang from between his lips. I leaned to the side staring at him, as he took a few more drags before putting it out and shoving it back into his little box of cigarettes at a stoplight because it was only half smoked.

When we got to Mcdonalds he parked the bike and we went inside with his arm tight around my waist.

"What would you like?" He questioned, looking at the menu curiously.

"A bacon, egg, and cheese mcgriddle, with a large caramel frappe to drink." I rattled off the same thing that I always got.

He smirked, "Come here often?" The question was rhetorical so I didn't bother answering it.

When we reached the register, Edward ordered for me as well as an egg mcmuffin meal for himself and we waited at the other side of the counter for our food to be ready before we went to a booth and sat down to eat.

We ate in a companionable silence, his arm stretched across the table to play with the fingers of my hand that I wasn't eating with. There were several of my classmates around but I ignored them, choosing instead to focus on the incredibly gorgeous man toying with my fingers.

"Bella! HI!" Jessica Stanley screamed at me. I felt my face pinch up in disgust but waved back halfheartedly.

Jessica, Lauren and Mike laughed loudly, waving enthusiastically, making the universally known jack off sign behind Edwards' back.

Rolling my eyes, I looked away from them and finished off my mcgriddle, beginning to eat my hashbrown in a hurry to leave.

"You good?" Edward asked, reaching over to play with my hand that I wasn't eating with.

I nodded, "I don't like them." I gestured with my head.

He looked over at them for a second then back to me, his face hard, "They certainly seemed to like you."

"They're all assholes," I replied easily.

He narrowed his eyes at me for a moment before accepting the answer, nodding once. I ditched the rest of my hashbrown in the bag and stood up, ready to leave.

"Let's go." I told him. Standing up, he dumped our bag in the garbage.

"I need to use the restroom. Be back in a minute." He dragged his hand down my body, squeezing my hip as he passed me.

I stood awkwardly waiting for him for about five seconds before Jessica and Lauren ran up to me.

Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory. Most popular whores in school, and they had the looks, as well as the scarf-dresses to show for it.

"Is that the older guy you've been hanging out with?" Jessica didn't bother with pleasantries. She'd been strangely nice to me since seeing me with Edward the day he had dropped me off at school.

"Yep." _Stick to monosyllabic words. The conversation will end faster._

"He's hot! How old is he?" Lauren piped in, nodding toward the bathroom as if I didn't know who she was talking about.

"Thirty two." I replied, upset to have already broken my 'monosyllabic word' goal, and deciding to change it to 'say as little as possible' goal.

"And he's living in your house?" _Damn you, Angela!_

"Yep."

They narrowed their eyes, leaning in closer to me.

"Are you sleeping with him? You can tell us. No judgment. We wouldn't say a word, Bella!" _Bitch, since when did you know my name?_

"No." I replied, mentally patting myself on the back for only having spoken five words the entire conversation.

They stepped closer to me, and I took a step back, due to the fact that if they got any closer they could suffocate me with their boobs. They each grabbed one of my arms, crowding me.

_Get outta my grill, bitch!_

"Really, Bella! You can tell us! We're fantastic at keeping secrets, we wouldn't tell anybody and then you would be able to talk to someone about everything!" Jessica's voice had gone from fake nice to mocking and condescending in seconds. _Wouldn't tell anybody, my ass. _

"I don't see how it's any of your business." I rough voice piped in from behind me.

Jessica and Lauren shot up so they were standing straight and gasped at the sight of Edward, arms crossed, feet shoulder width apart, staring straight at them, eyebrow raised. His eyes were dark and hard, and I flinched away from them.

With his nostrils flared like that, Hussy rubbed herself up and down him like a cat. Jessica and Lauren followed hussy's example, walking up to him so they stood dangerously close.

He reared back, raising an eyebrow at me, silently communicating, _What the fuck? _

I shrugged.

"So, how do you know Bella?" Jessica asked, touching his arm affectionately.

He stared at her hand on his bicep for a moment before looking at her and raising an eyebrow. She slowly peeled it off, placing it back at her side, embarrassed.

"Actually, Bella and I are living in the same house." He reached out and grabbed my arm, yanking me to his side. Jessica and Lauren wrinkled their noses at the hand on my hip.

"But, again, I don't see how that's your business." His face was hard, eyes tight.

"Oh we're Bella's best friends!" Lauren filled in, laughing as if it was hilarious that he didn't know that. Like we hang out all the time and we're always doing each other's hair and makeup. Like it is so shocking that he hadn't seen her at all in the week he's been living in my house. _Crazy bitch._

I snorted.

"Okay, then." Edward shook his head rolling his eyes exaggeratedly, turning us to walk toward the exit without saying anything else. Jessica and Lauren looked flabbergasted. Absolutely amazed at being dismissed by a man exactly their type.

_God I hope I don't look like that when Edward surprises _me.

"What's wrong?" I asked as we walked out to the car.

He looked back down at me, "Nothing." His jaw was clenched tight, eyes containing a fury I had never seen before.

I sighed through my nose, back to the 'why are we even together if you won't talk to me' anger.

"You have a bad fucking temper." I state as I start to walk to the bike, struggling to contain the anger in my stomach as I stomp.

He grabbed my shoulder, turning me to him and picked up my arm, right above my elbow so that I could see my bicep.

"No, Bella, I don't! I have the fucking right to be pissed off if someone is bruising you and you aren't doing a fucking thing about it! Do you see that?" He shoved my arm in my face so that I would look down at the dark red hand shaped mark that I hadn't even noticed. It was definitely going to bruise. I pulled it away from him.

"I didn't notice they were gripping me so tight, okay? Calm down." I walked to the bike, playing it off. Jessica and Lauren had bruised me thousands of times. Why care now, when I had two weeks left before graduation?

The entire way to school he was tense, going far over the speed limit. We made it to the front gate fifteen minutes before school started, so I lingered, slowly getting off the bike.

He got off as well, pulling me to him, shoving his face in my neck, pulling back after a moment immediately taking off his jacket.

"Here." He held it toward me and I took it, confused.

"Put it on." He stated after a second of me staring at it like it was a foreign object.

"Why?" He didn't answer, just vaguely gestured to my arms that were on display because of my short sleeved shirt. I pushed my arms through the leather, realizing that this was the second jacket of his that I had taken so far.

"Are you going to give me a 'thank you' kiss this time?" He asked, pointing to his lips as he straddled the bike.

I bit my lip, but nodded. There weren't that many people around. Besides, I wanted to show him that I was all in when it came to us. Not ashamed. All in.

Leaning forward, I pecked him on the lips sweetly before I pulled away.

His arm came around me and pulled me close, standing up with the bike between his legs. His hand held my face tilted towards him as his lips came down on mine, hard and unyielding. He shoved his tongue into my mouth, tangling with mine for a moment before he pulled back and sucked it into his mouth. I did my whore moan, pushing myself against him as much as I could. His hand began to travel, moving from my hips to my thighs, his fingers on my ass.

I pulled away, gasping.

He smirked, his eyes shining with mischief, his lips red, and wet.

"Now _that's_ a thank you kiss." His eyebrows jiggled up and down as he smiled wickedly.

As I walked away from him I couldn't help but wonder what else I could thank him for when I got home.

* * *

**Authors note: Sorry this one took so long to get out! I don't have an excuse other than I wasn't REALLY feeling this chapter like I do the others! But don't worry, i'm SUPER excited for the next one, so it should be cranked out faster! **

**Thanks for all the reviews guys. I just love you!  
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**What'd you guys think of the chapter? What'd you think of Renee and Bella's little chat? What about Lauren and Jessica? Let me know!  
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**Also, I have a blog...ahem. **you-talk-of-my-drinking and then you have to put dot blogspot dot com

**Go on over there and check it out! Once a week I will do a 'Q and A' post where I will answer any questions asked on the blog! Go ask me all your questions about the story over there! They will be answered! ****  
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**I'd appreciate some feedback! Comments about what you thought, what you enjoyed, etc!  
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**-Drinking. :)  
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	11. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Nine_

When I got home from school, no one was there. Renee and Phil had left a note on the table, stating they had gone to the doctor, and Edward had left a note on my door, stating he'd gone to the store out of desperation and starvation.

So, with nothing to do, I did something I hadn't done after school in weeks. Maybe months. I did _my homework_ as I waited.

When I was done fifteen minutes later, I watched YouTube. Beginning with Hair tutorials, and slowly gravitating twoard music videos. And I happened to be watching the Britney Spears Criminal video when Edward walked in. Unfortunately, I didn't notice him until he announced his presence by sitting down next to me. I paused it and shut my laptop, raising my eyebrows.

"Hey." I tried to keep my voice from doing that squeaky thing that it did when I was in embarrassed. I failed.

He smirked.

"Britney Spears?" He questioned.

I scowled, "She was very big when I was very small, okay? Cut me some slack!"

He shook from holding back his laughter.

"At least I don't have a Backstreet Boys CD!" I yelled, smacking him on the arm.

"Hey now. Let's not make this dirty." He jiggled his eyebrows. I glowered, folding my arms across my chest.

"Don't pout. I brought Chinese for dinner. General Tso's."

And just like that, I had forgiven him for teasing me about my musical guilty pleasure.

~O~

Later that night, after we all had an early dinner of delicious Chinese food, I asked Edward if I could use the bathroom downstairs to shower since Renee was currently sleeping on the floor of the upstairs one.

"Of course." He nodded, looking me up and down hungrily.

I rolled my eyes and went in my room to grab my towel and all of my shower stuff, entering Edwards' bathroom somewhat cautiously.

He had only lived here for a week but who knows what I would find in the bathroom. Dirty clothes strewn everywhere? Toothpaste all over the sink? Little hairs on the sink from him shaving?

I expected a typical 'Man' bathroom that I had heard people talk about. The bathroom that I had seen on TV that looked like it hadn't been clean in months.

What I got was not what I expected. Edward's bathroom was spotless. There was no dirty clothes, instead there was a neat little hamper tucked into the corner. No toothpaste or even a toothbrush in sight. It was clean, cleaner than when it had been my bathroom that's for sure. I shrugged and pulled the shower curtain open, turning on the water so it could heat up while I undressed.

Stepping into the shower, I noticed that he had left his body wash, shampoo and conditioner in the bathroom. For one moment, I thought of using them because I wanted to be able to smell him without actually sniffing him, but almost immediately disregarded that thought. Mostly because if he noticed that I used his body wash and shampoo I would be humiliated to the point of burying myself into a hole and never coming out.

So, I poured my own shampoo into my hand and lathered my hair up, leaving it in while I shaved my legs and armpits. As I was washing it out, I faintly heard the door shut.

I froze, "Hello?" I called out.

"It's me. I'm just grabbing something." Edward's voice rang out.

I gulped, looking down at my naked body.

"Oh. Okay." I could only hope that the shower drowned out the squeakiness in my voice.

He chuckled. Apparently not.

"Are you nervous that I'm in here with you?" His voice came from dangerously close to the shower curtain and I jumped away from it.

"Uhm…no. Of course not. Nope. I'm totally calm. Completely fine. Good. Great, actually." _Nice, Bella. Your babbling creates an incredibly calm façade.  
_

Hussy mimicked opening the curtain and putting her body on display, crooking her finger so Edward would come join me in the shower. I shook my head firmly at her and she pouted.

I slapped my forehead, then rubbed the sting out because I accidentally slapped too hard.

"Are you nervous because you're naked? Or because I could _see _you naked?"

_That doesn't even make sense!_

"Both! Now get out!" I yelled, smacking the curtain.

He chuckled again.

"Don't be nervous. You're beautiful, Isabella." As I was opening and closing my mouth like a fish out of water-which was ironic because, currently, I was in the shower-the door opened and closed as he left.

I washed the rest of the soap out of my hair and got out of the shower, changing into my pajamas. As I blew my hair straight and rubbed my body down with lotion, I wondered if he knew that I had never done anything like this before. After all, it was kind of a commodity to be a virgin only two weeks from graduating high school. It was a rarity, and I wouldn't blame him if he thought that I was some hussy that had had sex a million times with a million different guys before him. Hell, I had jumped on him when he had only been here for two days!

When I walked out, Edward was in his bedroom with the door wide open.

"Are you gonna sleep in here with me?" He asked as I walked passed to put all my stuff in my bedroom.

"Yep!" I called out, shutting the door behind me as I walked into his room, turning off the light.

"Edward?" I asked, after I got myself all situated, intending the question that had been weighing on my mind.

"Yeah?" He held me tighter.

"I'm….I'm a virgin. You know that, right?" my face heated up at my words, even though I knew it was no crime to be a virgin at seventeen years old in this day and age.

"Uh..Yeah, sweet girl. I know." He turned us so he was spooning me, and placed his hand just below my belly button, pulling me back into him.

"Does it scare you that I'll be your first?" he asked, cockiness seeping through his tone.

"How do you know you'll be my first?" I asked in absolute denial.

He didn't respond, kissing down my neck, his destination my shoulder, which he sucked and bit, licking in one spot. I decided to let him mark me there, because pulling his lips away from me at that moment would be absolute torture. So as he sucked, I squirmed, placing my hand on top of his that was on my stomach, I dragged it upward, hoping that he would do _something. Anything._ Anything other than tease me endlessly. I arched into him, moaning breathlessly as he tongued the spot that he marked, moving to lick the line of my shoulder blade.

"Mmmm…." He moved up to breath huskily in my ear, "That's how I know. Because you want me, Isabella. And the second you turn eighteen, I'll give you _whatever the fuck you want_. Whatever you want. All yours." His hand moved to rub the underside of my breast.

I swallowed heavily, whimpering.

"I don't want to wait." I heard myself whine like a whore in heat.

He sucked my neck for a moment, and then pulled away.

"I won't have sex with you until it's legal, Isabella." He said very slowly and condescendingly, as if he were talking to a child.

I glared, gripping his hand and yanking it off me. I threw the comforter off of me and stood up, storming to his door which I opened and shut rather loudly.

Stomping into my bedroom, I crawled under the covers and closed my eyes. My eyes hand only been closed for a moment before my light was turned on and my door was shut.

"What the hell?" Edward walked over to my bed, looking down at me.

"I'm not a kid, Edward! Don't treat me like one!" I stood up so that I was standing next to him.

He raised his eyebrows as if to say, _Really? You're not a kid?_

"You said that you didn't care that I'm younger than you!" I exclaimed.

He rolled his eyes, roughly pulling his hands through his hair.

"I don't! I don't give a shit! But we can't ignore it, Bella! Fuck! Just because I don't care doesn't mean we can sweep it under the rug! Yes, you're younger than me! No, I don't care! Accept it, because, baby, it's not changing." He placed his hands on my shoulders and pulled me to him, looking me in the eyes to get his point across.

"Okay! I get it! I'm a child that can't accept things because of my immaturity!" I shoved his arms off of me, despite the fact that the smell of him made me weak in the knees. So sweet and spicy. Delicious.

"Bella, I never fucking said that. I said that I wouldn't fuck you until you weren't jailbait, which just so happens to give us a little bit more time to get to know each other!" He pushed me against the wall, holding me there with his body, and I did something that humiliated me. He wrapped my legs around him and looked me in the eye...and I _moaned_.

He smiled, leaning in, so close to my lips. His lips barely brushed mine as he spoke.

"Don't you want your first time to mean something? I know it's girly and shit, but my first time was in the back of a fucking _van,_ Isabella. With some whore I didn't know, and had absolutely no ties to. I don't even know her fucking _name_. Make it actually mean something. _Sex is Sex_. _Fucking is Fucking_. When it actually means something, it's _different._" He held my hips, holding tightly. He ground into me lightly, where I could feel his hardness and I nearly screamed from the feel of the friction against my sensitive area.

Chuckling he licked at my lips, sucking the top one into his mouth lazily.

His words registered, and suddenly, I felt like a major bitch.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and his bruising force on my hips lessened.

"I'm sorry. Fuck-Why am I always apologizing?" I leaned my forehead on his. He bit my lip.

"Because you're always assuming things. And you know what they say about people who assume. It makes an ass out of you." He ground slowly against me again and I clutched his biceps in my hands, trying to keep quiet.

"And me." I finished for him breathlessly.

"What?"

"It makes an ass out of you and me." I told him, emphasizing the end.

"Mmmm….that time it just made an ass out of you." He squeezed my hips, chuckling against my cheek.

"You're a dick." I stated, but I couldn't help but laugh a little bit.

"At least I'm not an ass." He retaliated.

I scowled at him as he smiled and pulled away, grabbing my hand so that we could go and lay on my bed, where I would think about everything we had done up against the wall and be embarrassed. In the moment, with Edward, it was unbearably easy to forget that I was so inexperienced. It was easy to forget our situation. Maybe that was hormones. Maybe it was something completely diffferent. I didn't know.

What I did know, was that even though the light was on and I was squished into a twin bed with Edward, it was the best night's sleep I'd ever had.

~O~

The next morning, when my phone alarm went off, I realized something.

Something miraculous.

Something wonderful.

Something that made me jump out of bed and get ready with vigor.

It was Friday.

_Friday._

_TGIF._

I curled my hair and actually did my make-up, before I pulled out my ripped super skinny jeans and a white v neck tee. As I was changing, Edward groaned and rolled over on my bed.

"Do you need a ride, sweet girl?" He questioned with his eyes still closed.

"Maybe. I'll go ask Renee." I answered him as I buttoned my pants.

"Okay." He was drifting back to sleep.

I walked up the stairs, walking into the kitchen to look for Renee. She was there this morning, head on the table with a box of Kleenex in front of her, and tissues scattered around the table.

"Mom?"

She answered with a groan.

"Okay, then. I'm going to ask Edward to give me a ride." I turned to walk down the stairs, but she spoke to me from the table.

Another groan and I was off.

~O~

"You're fucking him, aren't you?" Angela asked me that day during lunch.

I thought about our... _enounter, _last night and shook my head, "No."

She slapped my arm and took a bite of her pizza. "Don't lie to me! You're all starry eyed and shit. Bella, by no means are we the sluts of the school. That doesn't mean we have to be perfect innocents. You can tell me what's going on between the two of you."

Shaking my head again, I shrugged, "I have a massive crush on him, and he seems to like me. We haven't had sex, but that doesn't mean I don't _want_ to have sex with him."

She cocked her head to the side, "And he wants to have sex with you."

I nodded.

"Well then, why are the two of you waiting for so long?" She questioned before it seemed to hit her, "He's waiting for you to be legal." Her eyes widened.

"Yeah." I confirmed, "But, it's so weird, Ange. It's so weird. One minute he's this huge dick who doesn't seem to care if I'm young or not, and the next minute he's taking all these precautions and telling me that we need to 'accept' that I'm younger and not just avoid it, but he claims that we've talked about my age too much. He's so fucking confusing!" I slapped the table.

"Well…" She trailed off as if she was afraid to say something.

"What?" I rolled my eyes.

"You told me he's stopped practicing…do you think that he stopped because he got in trouble over sex with a patient? Or maybe even sex with an _underage_ patient?" She scrunched her face and winced a little bit.

I had never considered what she had asked before.

"No…No, that doesn't seem like him." I trailed off, because it kind of did.

Angela rubbed my arm, "Ask him. Maybe he didn't, but that's still something you should know before you delve into this relationship with a man that's nearly twice your age." I banged my head on the table.

"Hey, don't be like that." She flicked my head and I looked up to see her holding her chips angled toward me.

"Thanks." I took a chip.

She laughed, "Don't worry about it. Eat your insecurities away while you still have a high metabolism."

I rolled my eyes, but took another chip.

"Bitch." I pinched her arm.

"Slut." She flicked my forehead, laughing.

I laughed with her, but in the back of my mind I couldn't help but wonder if I knew anything about Edward at all.

~O~

When I got home from school, Renee was still in bed and Phil was at the store buying her food, so I went in search of Edward and found him outside, sitting on a chair smoking a cigarette as he read a book.

I sat down next to him, pulling the smoke from his fingers.

He raised his eyebrow at me, but mimicked pulling it up to his mouth and taking a drag.

"Be careful not to inhale too deep your first try." He turned the page on his book, glancing up at me nonchalantly.

I made me mistake of pulling a deep drag from it and coughed as my eyes watered and my nose burned.

"Good to know your not actors puffing it. You just had a shit ton of smoke come out of your nose." He took the cig from me, taking the last drag before he put it out and threw it off the balcony.

After I had calmed down, I asked him how my mom had been today.

He shrugged, "She's being cranky. This is the third time Phil has been out getting something for her."

I nodded, "Okay."

"Why don't we go to dinner or something?" Edward asked after a momet of silence.

Raising my eyebrow, I nodded, "Okay. Sounds Fun. Where are we going?"

"Nowhere to fancy. I just want to go out. Dinner and a movie sound good?" He asked me, leaning to kiss my lips.

I nodded, "Sounds great, actually."

"Awesome." He patted his lap, "Why don't you come sit here?" He eyed my chair.

I looked around to make sure Phil was nowhere to be seen and nodded, walking over to sit on his lap awkwardly.

Edwards arm encircled me and he pulled me back into him, wrapping his arms snug around my torso. Turning my head, I kissed him softly before pulling back.

He raised an eyebrow and leaned forward to take my lips, kissing me roughly, sucking my bottom lip harshly before he pushed his tongue into my mouth and rubbed my teeth and gums with it.

"Mmmm…" I moaned softly, wrapping my arms around his neck, remembering the feel of his body right up against mine just last night.

He squeezed me tighter, his hand moving from the top of my belly button to the bottom of my breast, and finally, _finally_, up to cover my breast with his palm.

"Oh, god," I whimpered as he kneaded it lightly before letting his thumb nail scratch over my nipple through my t shirt and thin cotton of my bra.

"Just because I'm not going to fuck you until your eighteen doesn't mean we can't participate in some other things, Bella." He pulled away from our kiss to say in my ear, tonguing my lobe.

I moaned loudly.

"Please." I begged, finally letting go of my embarrassment. I wanted something_, anything_ from this man.

And, from his words, I guessed that I was going to get what I wanted.

* * *

**Authors note: Sorry it took so long, my peeps! Little bit of an emergency that has been taken care of, and so now I will be getting back to my normal schedule, updating once or twice a week! **

**YAY!**

**You guys should go read my one shot 'Our vicious cycle' it is complete! I Love writing it, so I would love some reviews!**

**What'd you think of the chapter? yeah? Good? What'd you like?  
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**Wondering what you guys liked! I feel bad for having to wait so long to update...so I will send you guys a teaser if you review!  
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**LOVE YOU!  
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	12. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Ten_

"We should take this downstairs." Edward whispered, putting his hands under my butt to lift me up.

I squealed, then squirmed as he stood up and carried me down the stairs to the balcony door, balancing me to open it, before he walked into the house.

"What if someone sees?" I questioned, looking between us.

He rolled his eyes, "Who cares?"

Pushing away my worries, I shrugged and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, leaning down to kiss and bite at his neck.

He tilted his head lightly as we reached the stairs, and as he began to walk down them I sucked on his neck.

He inhaled sharply, his arms loosening a little bit around me.

"Don't drop me." I warned, wrapping my legs around him.

"Stop distracting me." He breathed raggedly, walking into his room and kicking his door shut.

"Do something then!" I gyrated my hips the best as I could in our position. Laughing, he dropped me onto the bed and pulled his shirt off.

"Poor sweet little Isabella," He climbed on top of me, "Are you horney?" His words were soft and quiet, and they lit me on fire.

He positioned his lips directly over mine as he spoke and when he was done, I lifted up to kiss him, but he moved his head to suck hard at my neck.

I couldn't help but let out a long whore moan.

"Shh. Don't want to alert Renee to what we're doing down here, do you?" He pulled away enough that I could look him in the face and raised his eyebrow at me.

Swallowing heavily I shook my head.

"Good girl." He kissed me softly on the lips, and just as I went for more pulled away. My hands that were placed right under his arms on his ribcage, dug into the skin of his back.

He hissed and bit my neck hard in retaliation. I yelped as he sucked and tongued it to take away the sting.

"Edward…please." I begged quietly. For what I didn't _exactly _know. Don't get me wrong, I knew what happened in sex, I knew what an orgasm was.

I just didn't know why I craved something I had never had so fucking badly.

"Tell me what you want." He moved down my body, resting his upper body heavily on my legs, his chin resting just below my belly button as he looked up at me.

"I want…" He lifted my shirt up to just below my ribs and placed open mouthed kisses on my stomach, licking and sucking randomly around my belly button.

Random sparks initiated at the little patches of skin that he kissed, and then grew, making my body burn all over as I felt my face flush.

"Mmm…I just want…" I trailed off again as he tongued my belly button, pulling my belly button ring-a sterling silver hoop I had gotten when I was sixteen-between his lips and tugging gently.

"What?" he breathed, kissing below my belly button… and then a little lower, to just above the button of my pants.

I pushed my fingers into his hair, panting as I pushed his face into my stomach. My mind was hazy and it was difficult to focus on his question with him kissing my stomach.

He licked a line from the top of my pants to my belly button.

"Tell me." He demanded.

Frustrated, I pulled my hands out of his hair and gripped the sides of the pillow that my head was on, bucking my hips up.

"Anything! I was _anything_! Just give me _something_!" I begged, bucking my hips again to make sure my point got across.

He inhaled, long and deep, and then came up to whisper in my ear as he unbuttoned my pants and lowered my zipper.

"You want me to finger fuck you baby? Maybe eat you out? I'd bet you taste _so fucking good._" His forearms were resting by my shoulders and I reached up to clutch his shoulders and dig my fingernails into his tattoo.

"That what you want?" He questioned again as he moved his arms to begin pulling my pants down as I panted and moaned breathlessly, a quivering, burning mess.

Whimpering shallowly in the back of my throat, I nodded, "Please."

He smiled wryly, getting up off me to stand up and I groaned, disappointed that his delicious weight wasn't holding me down anymore.

Moving to the end of the bed, he gripped the waist of my pants in his hands and yanked them down. I lifted my legs and shimmied to help him get them off, and after a couple tugs, he managed.

"Damn, girl, how the fuck you get in these things?" He held my super skinny jeans up triumphantly, before tossing them behind him.

I didn't bother answering him as he leaned over and fingered my white panties with the little pink bow in the middle of my waist band. He fingered the bow.

"Are you _trying _to make me explode?" He snapped the band around my thigh. I didn't have the decency to be embarrassed about my virginal underwear in the moment, because, right here, in this moment, he was about an inch away from the place that no one but me had touched. I knew I would beat myself up for not putting on something more appealing later, however, in this moment, I couldn't force myself to give a flying fig.

He traced a little circle _exactly where I wanted him_ and smiled, amused, when I moaned loudly.

"You are so wet there's a little spot on your panties." He pushed his thumb on the spot and smiled wickedly at my load uncontrollable moan.

"Is that all for me?" He dipped his fingers below the waist band of my underwear, looking up at me wickedly.

I nodded vigorously, squirming at the sight of his delicious muscles in his hunched over position.

"Then I guess I better thank you for what you've provided for me, huh?" He hooked his thumbs through the sides of my underwear and pulled them down.

I closed my legs as an automatic reaction, but he wasn't allowing that as he grabbed my ankles and spread them wide, crawling between my legs, stopping….down there.

He looked at me, slightly surprised.

"You shave?" He asked, reaching with an index finger to run it down the side of my…well, you know.

Nodding, I shrugged at his inquiring expression. If he really wanted to know why I shaved I'd tell him later. Now was not the time for explanations.

"I'm gonna show you so much, baby. You'll be sex starved every second of the day when I'm done with you It'll be so fucking good." He breathed huskily, leaning down and placed an open mouthed kiss on my clitoris, tonguing it.

My response was immediate. I felt every muscle clench hard, as my back arched. My legs went up so that my feet lay flat on the bed and my hands seized the pillow behind my head, fisting it hard.

"Holy….fuck…." I gasped, moaning desperately as he pulled away.

"That's it, baby." He spoke, but I could barely hear him over my heart beat and my breathing, as small, desperate whimpers came out of my mouth every few seconds.

His finger came up and traced around my entrance, barely going inside before easing out and repeating the process.

My legs shook as my eyes rolled back.

"Oh…my God, Edward."

"Does that feel good, Isabella?" He asked, leaning down to suck my clit into his mouth. I arched my back again as pleasure exploded through me and my toes curled deliciously hard.

"Fuck, Edward….so fucking good." I gasped, moving one hand to snake into his hair as his hand went under my shirt to tug and roll my nipple.

He eased his finger all the way inside me and groaned loudly.

"Oh, fuck, Bella. You're going to be so fucking tight. So tight. Oh, god." Edward didn't usually lose his cool, but at this moment, he was gasping as he pulled his finger out of me and moved his hand to unbutton and unzip his pants.

I whimpered at the loss of the pleasure and stimulation he had been giving me, fisting his hair tighter.

"More…please." I begged him, pushing my hips up slightly.

He shuddered, "Okay, baby. Fuck. So good. You taste so fucking incredible. Fuck." He licked me, long and slow, all the way from my entrance to my clit.

I gasped, swallowing with difficulty as I moaned out.

"Yeah, that's it, you just let me hear it all while I eat you out, okay love?" He was so crude. It was so easy for him to talk about all the things that he was doing to me. The way he was playing my body like an instrument, the way he was putting his tongue on me. It was so easy for him to say it. Unapologetic and crude.

God help me, it just made me even more wound up.

But, there was no more talking as he began to ease his tongue inside of me. The only sounds in the room were my extremely loud moans as I squirmed and pulled away from his touch, only to have him yank my hips back to him. It was so easy for him to push his tongue inside of me and find spots that made my vision go black as I moaned and panted. He teased me, licking around my entrance and up to my clit, only to kiss it, instead of suck it into his mouth like I wanted as he eased his finger inside of me. Then he would slowly ease his finger out, brushing against a spot that would make me scream if he touched it right on, only to replace his long, talented finger with his teasing tongue.

I didn't know how long he teased me like this, but I was sweaty and agitated, pulling at his hair, my hair, the sheets, the pillow behind my head as I squirmed and moaned, raking stale air into my lungs. I could smell my arousal heavily tinged in the air but I could do nothing as his mouth and fingers slowly pulled me toward the edge of oblivion.

Finally, after what felt like hours, I pushed on his shoulder with my foot.

"Ed-Edward, stop. I c-can't." I gasped as I shuddered and twitched; helplessly searching for something that I knew he could give me, frustrated that he _wouldn't. _

But those seemed to be the magic words. He pushed his finger into me, twisting and curling it to touch that spot that felt _so good, _as his mouth sucked on my clit, nipping it between his teeth.

My body bucked upward as my back arched and my hands gripped his hair, pushing his face hard into my sensitive flesh as my toes curled hard. I screamed for only a second before his hand covered my mouth, masking it. My eyes rolled back and closed as fireworks of pleasure raged and burned through my body, sizzling and crackling.

Edward pinched my nipple hard, but that just made the whole experience better as my head hung to the side, trying to rake in stale air. After I came down, slightly, I lifted my head to look down at him.

He was licking at me like a cap licks at milk, cleaning me up. I shuddered, gasping as a shot of pleasure bolted through my system.

I couldn't hold my head up for long, so I just lay back staring at the ceiling, my hands still in his hair. I lay there for a few minutes, little shocks still sizzling through me every few moments, as the sweat on my body turned cold and dried.

When I was finally back to just breathing shakily, I pushed his head away from between my thighs.

"No more." I whispered my voice hoarse and quiet. Everything was so sensitive between my legs; I couldn't take any more of his tongue down there. He moved up me to kiss at the skin just above the collar above my shirt.

"Mmm…feel better, baby?" He asked, his hand cupping my…well, you know.

"Oh, my god, Edward." It was the only thing I could say in this moment as he sucked and kissed at my neck, working his way to my lips.

"Yeah? Good?" He asked, kissing my lips softly, once. Twice. Then he fell to the side, gathering the blankets from the bottom of his bed around us.

"So good." I whispered, shuddering in remembrance, as well as blushing in embarrassment at what had just transpired.

"Good." He kissed all up and down my neck, turning me on my side to spoon me, keeping his hips far away from me, but his hand still cupping the area where his face had just been, rubbing at me softly with his fingers.

"What are you going to do? About…that?" I asked, turning my head.

"What? My boner?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

I nodded, flushing.

"I'm going to take care of it in the shower while you get ready for our date." He kissed my cheek, smirking cockily.

"You know you squirted?" He asked, nodding and smiling wickedly.

My eyebrows pulled together before realization dawned and my face went from normal to dark red in 2.7 seconds.

I turned my head away from him to stare at his wall in humiliation. He kissed at my neck.

"It was so fucking sexy, Isabella." He bit my neck.

I was about to say something when I heard someone's footfalls on the stairs. Panic tore through me, my stomach tightening.

"Oh, shit!" I hissed, uncaring about my modesty as I flung the blankets off and went searching for my underwear and jeans, tumbling off the bed.

My jeans were down at the bottom of the bed, but my underwear was nowhere to be seen!

"Edward! Where's my underwear?!" I hissed out, only to look over at him and see him twirling said underwear around his finger, lying casually on the bed.

I glared at him, throwing his shirt at him.

"Bella? Are you in there?" Phil knocked on my door next door. I stayed paralyzed in fear, standing naked from the waist down by Edward's bed.

After a second, I frantically tore on my super skinny jeans, hopping around like an imbecile as Phil called my name a few more times.

And then there was a knock on Edwards' door. I gasped, staring at the door in horror, but the knob didn't turn.

"Hey Ed, man? You seen Bella?" Edward smiled, fingering my underwear that I hadn't had the mind to snatch from him.

"She said that she was staying after for a Chem Lab when I dropped her off. She should probably be home soon." Edward lay casually on his bed, completely at ease, raising his eyebrow at me. He pulled me down on the bed with him, rubbing my back casually.

"Oh, okay." I could almost see Phil shrug.

"Oh, hey man, is it cool if I take Bella out tonight? Just to hang." Edward perked up as he waited for Phil's answer, leaning up on his elbow.

"Yeah sure! She's probably bored anyway. Get her some dinner while you're out, will you? I don't feel like cooking." Phil was either oblivious or far too trusting.

"Sure man." Edwards and Phil's through the door conversation fascinated me.

Phil's footfalls fell away from the door, and after a second we heard him climbing the stairs. Relief flew through my body as I let out a deep breath.

"That was way too close, Edward." I pulled away from him, standing beside his bed.

"Oh calm down. No big deal. So, where do you want to go to dinner?" He changed the subject quickly.

"I don't care. May I have my underwear back now?" He was still playing with them, tracing the little bow with his finger.

"No. Go get ready, and we'll go somewhere nice, then for a movie, okay?" He smacked my ass as he stood up and pulled open his top drawer, tossing my underwear into it.

He didn't bother putting on his shirt that was on his bed, stretching languidly. The elastic band of his boxer shorts were on display, and the 'v' of his hips was downright lickable.

"I want my panties back, Edward." I held out my hand, almost ready to stomp my foot.

But he turned to me, cupping my neck with his palms, his thumbs rubbing my jaw.

"Please, baby?" He leaned forward and planted a kiss on my lips.

I raised an eyebrow, "You really think this is going to work?"

Laughing, he pulled away.

"No. But, I'm keeping them anyway."

I slapped his arm and turned to walk away so I could go get ready, but I was smiling. And I was definitely pleased.

~O~

It didn't take me too long to get ready, mostly because I didn't need to shower. So I curled my hair into soft waves with my curling wand and then put on some makeup, choosing on my white ruffled skirt and light blue tank top with a big brown belt for my outfit.

I wasn't in the mood for heels, so I chose my wedge brown boots then opened my door to go find Edward.

He was in the shower.

The shower.

'_I'm going to take care of it in the shower while you get ready for our date' _He had said. Could that mean that he was taking care of it…_now_?

As soon as the thought registered in my mind, hussy ran over and pulled a glass cup out of her bra, pressing it to the door, motioning me over.

I stepped closer, approaching the door slowly and cautiously.

"Bella?" Phil called from upstairs, making me jump.

Sighing, I stepped away from the door and walked up the stairs, finding Phil in the living room, Renee's head in his lap. She was finally sleeping, all curled up in blankets.

"What's up, Phil?" I asked him as he flipped through the channels.

"Is it cool with you to hang with Edward tonight? Your Mom and I are just planning on staying in." He turned away from the TV and addressed me.

I nodded, "Yeah, it's fine."

"Okay, hon. how was Chem lab?" He asked, showing some interest in my life. For once.

Shrugging I stated it was fine and then turned away to go downstairs.

"Is that what you're planning on wearing?" He asked as I reached the stairs.

"Yes." I stated without turning around.

"What's wrong with it?" I looked at the door frame, wishing I could go downstairs and hide.

"Nothing. That skirt is a little short." He spoke two sentences. The sentences contradicted each other, and it made me want to scream.

I hung my head, looking down at my skirt.

"It's past mid-thigh, Phil." I walked downstairs not bothering to listen to his reply.

Edward was in his room with the door closed, so I went to my bedroom for last looks, deciding that I didn't look bad at all. So I pulled a brown purse out of my closet and put my wallet and my lip gloss in it.

While I was waiting around for Edward to get dressed, I put on a necklace and a brown leather cuff for my wrist. Then took off the leather cuff. And then I stared at it, wondering if maybe I should leave it on. It was casual. Maybe it would tone down my outfit. Then again, maybe if I was looking for something to tone down the outfit, I should just change.

Edwards knock on my door pulled me out of my overthinking. I opened the door and literally felt my jaw drop.

He looked hot.

Light wash jeans with a white and blue striped shirt, sleeves rolled up.

"You look stunning. Ready to go?" He asked, as I ogled.

I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm ready." I nodded again, staring at the little patch of chest I could see.

Damn he was built. Why didn't I pay more attention to him earlier when he had his shirt off? What distracted me so much that I didn't notice that? Oh yeah…his tongue.

"Isabella?" He tapped my shoulder.

I shook my head slightly, "Uh..Yeah?"

"Do you want to go out? If you don't, we could always…go back to my room." His hand ran down my arm, lightly touching my breast on the way.

As tempting as the offer was, I wanted to do this, so I declined.

"I want to go out."

He raised an eyebrow, "You sure? You look a little…flustered." He licked his teeth, smirking cockily.

I rolled my eyes, grabbing his hand.

"Let's go out."

"Have it your way. I hope that skirt is tight enough to not ride up on the bike."

I shook my head, pulling him out of my room and up the stairs.

"Although I certainly wouldn't mind." His hand tapped my ass.

My laugh was breathy as we reached the front door.

"Bye, Phil!" I called out, closing the door before he could reply.

When we reached the bike, Edward held his hand out for me.

"By all means, you get on first." He bounced his eyebrows.

I smiled innocently, tossing one leg over the bike while I held my skirt down with my hands. Edward pursed his lips, smirked and pulled himself on rubbing my leg as we got going, speeding down the street.

~O~

We decided to go to a little Italian bistro just on the edge of town. There was no wait, so we seated ourselves in a little table in the corner. The bistro was nice. It was small, with Italian music playing quietly in the background. The lighting was lighter than I would've thought for Italian, but darker than a normal restaurant. I loved it.

"So, have you been here before?" I asked him as he perused the menu.

"Yes. A few times with my sister." He nodded around the room, "Most of the time for lunch."

I nodded, feeling a little awkward. I'd been on dates before, but not very many. And, so far, this date was extremely awkward.

After a moment, he closed his menu and placed it on the table.

"I'm getting the baked ziti. You should get the lasagna or the spaghetti. They're both delicious." He reached over and grabbed my hand.

I set my menu down, "The spaghetti sounds good."

"Okay, great. Whatever you want." I swallowed heavily at the repetition of his earlier words.

_Whatever I want. He'd give me whatever I want._

"Can I get you two something to drink?" The waiter broke me out of my thoughts.

Edward gestured for me to order first.

"Dr. Pepper." I ordered quietly. The waiter nodded and smiled at me kindly.

"Can I have a look at your wine list?" Edward asked the waiter, turning his attention toward him.

The waiter shook his head, "We don't have a wine list. You're welcome to bring your own wine or beer for a two dollar corking fee."

Edward nodded, "Okay then. Then I'd like a Pelligrino please." The waiter nodded and then walked away to get our drinks.

We sat there in silence for a minute before I spoke.

"So..."

He raised his eyebrow, "So?"

"What do those patient files in your drawer say?" So it was the first thing that came to my mind, okay? Don't judge.

Edward glared at me for a split second before he stopped, "Just former notes. Not allowed to really go into detail, yeah?" He nodded.

"Yeah..."

And then it was silent again.

"Why don't you tell me more about your tattoos?"

He shrugged and nodded, "If that's what you want."

"That's what I want." The waiter came by right after I spoke and placed my soda and Edwards mineral water down onto the table.

"Are you ready to order?" The waiter smiled at us.

"Yes. We'd like a spaghetti for the lady, and the baked ziti for myself. Thank you." Edwards dismissed the man, and he frowned before he turned and walked away.

"You know about the tattoo inside my forearm. Then there's the phrase down my side, the star on my bicep, the swallow over my heart, and then my name on my back."

I nodded in confirmation.

"Okay, then. Well, the phrase down my side is 'Chi più sa, meno crede'. It means** '**The more one knows, the less one believes'. I got it while I was working in for the rehab center." I frowned. What did that mean, exactly? That he didn't believe in a higher power? I wanted to question him, but didn't exactly feel like questioning religion at the moment, so I let him continue. He was opening up. I would take this rare moment gratefully.

"The star on my bicep is for my sister. She has a matching one just above her hip. It's supposed to represent the night, and to always shine and never hide away. The swallow over my heart is for a patient that...passed." Okay, now I was curious. I wanted to know more about what happened to him when he worked at the rehab. "And I have my last name on my back so I never forget who I truly am. It was my first. I got it when I was eighteen." He said it like it was a mistake to get his name on his back to never forget his roots. Almost like he wanted to get it removed...or like he should have never gotten it.

I nodded, and he reached over, grabbing my hand to kiss my palm, open mouthed. I took a deep breath.

"Your food, madame." The waiter pulled me out of my memories of earlier.

"Uhm...Thank you." I let go of Edwards hand so that the waited could set down my plate of spaghetti.

"You're _quite _welcome. Let me know if you need anything else." The waiter grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles.

My face scrunched up involuntarily as I pulled my hand away.

"Will do."

Edward glared at his back as he walked away. After he disappeared from our sight he turned to his food. He took a bite and moaned as I twirled the spaghetti around my fork.

"Is it good?" I asked him, trying to ignore what his moan did to me.

He nodded, as I popped the bite into my mouth.

"Mmm...You were right. It's delicious." I grabbed a piece of bread from the basket in between us and took a bite.

"Yeah, the food here is good." He stood up and kissed my forehead.

"I need to use the restroom. I'll be back." I nodded as he turned to walk away, turning right.

I ate a few bites as I waited for him to come back. It was awkward sitting alone, and I looked around, examining the other people in the restaurant.

As I looked around, I noticed a door across from me with a sign.

'Bathrooms', pointing to a door to the left.

Edward had gone right.

I frowned, turning to look around for him. He emerged, smiling.

Sitting down at the table, he tucked his napkin in his lap.

"Are you enjoying your food?" He asked.

I nodded, "Yes."

"Good." And after that, there was no conversation as we ate our food. We were almost finished, when an older man came up to our table wearing a suit.

He smiled at us, "Are you two enjoying everything?"

We both nodded, and Edward thanked him for asking.

"Wonderful. Would you two like anything else?" Edward raised his eyebrows at me questioningly. I shook my head.

"No thanks." Edward nodded, and the man smiled and walked away. As he turned, I caught a glimpse of his name tag, stating his name, as well as his title. He was the manager of the bistro.

"That was a little weird. I wondered what happened to our waiter." I pushed my plate away, satisfied.

Edward shrugged, "Not really."

"And why is that?"

"Because I got the waiter fired for inappropriate behavior and requested the manager to serve us." He shrugged.

My eyes widened.

_Damn._

* * *

**Authors note: So I know I promised a teaser for everyone who reviewed, but hot damn! There was so many people who reviewed! Thank you for that by the way. So I gave you guys a very large chapter, instead! Your welcome! **

**I'm hoping you guys liked the chapter. Tell me, what did you think? **

**I will update next week! Most likely later in the week because i'm going camping, okay? **

**Dying to know what you all thought of the new things that you learned about Edward, and what you thought about his getting the waiter fired! Sly dog, he is!**

**Okay, love you guys!**

**-Drinking. :)**


	13. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Eleven_

BPOV:

My mind reeled, and my heart stuttered.

"You….you….What?" I pulled my hand from his, awkwardly looking around. The manager that had just served us was standing in the door way to the kitchen, eyes trained on the table. My guess was that he was ensuring we had everything we needed.

"I got the man fired. He was rude. He kissed your hand. That's unprofessional, Isabella." He frowned at me, reaching for my hand again.

Folding my hands together in my lap, I frowned.

"Edward, you can't just take away someone's job." He had said it so casually. It was so easy for him to leave someone without work.

This was the first time Edwards' rich mentality and personality showed. I didn't like it.

He shrugged, pulling cash out of his wallet. He drank the last of his drink and then dropped the money on the table.

"You are acting so casual about this!" I said, exasperated. "Edward, what if that man was barely making it? What if he had kids? A wife? You can't just take his source of income away!"

Snickering, he stood and pulled on his leather jacket.

"It's not too hard to find a job as a waiter, Isabella. Let's go." I didn't take his hand that he held out to me, choosing instead to stand and grab my jacket from the back of my chair, leading the way out.

I looked at the motorcycle, and then down the street, trying to gauge how long it would take me to walk home. Then I thought of my boots. My stylish, surprisingly affordable boots. The decision was made. So I huffed over to the bike, angry that I had to get a ride.

"Edward, no job is a bad job unless you don't work hard enough at it. You were berating that man, getting him fired. It wasn't the right thing to do." I sighed through my nose, finding myself explaining to him.

I shouldn't have had to explain it to him. He should know that getting somebody fired was wrong. It was like trying to teach a clueless child good morals. Fruitless.

Huffing out of my nose, I pointed to the bike.

"Let's go."

He raised an eyebrow, "Home?"

I nodded, curtly.

"Come on, sweet girl. Let's just finish the date. You can hoard the popcorn and sit in the row in front of me." He smiled gently, running his hands down my arms.

"If you think that you can seduce me into forgiving you, you're wrong." I frowned, throwing my leg over the bike, uncaring if someone saw my underwear.

And I wasn't embarrassed…until Edward whistled.

"Hot damn, girl. I should piss you off more often." I placed my hands on his shoulders after he got on the bike, deciding to just ignore his comment, as well as the burning in my face.

When we got to the movie theatre, I got off the bike, preparing to stalk into the movie theatre, alone, and pay for my own ticket. And my own popcorn. And choose a different movie.

"Why do we always fight?" Edwards arms wrapped around me, before I could even make it into the doors.

I shrugged.

"I don't know why it means so much to you. I'll get the waiters job back. I care about you, and I like it when you get passionate about things." He held me close.

And, that was good enough.

For the moment.

So, I wrapped my arms around him, "Do you think we fight because of the age difference? Or because we just shouldn't be together?" I asked him, expressing my fears that this was doomed from the beginning. We fought more than anything.

"It feels right. Even the fighting." I knew what that meant, and because it felt right for me, too, I let the subject drop. "I'm sorry, love. I was a dick." He kissed the side of my neck apologetically.

"Well…at least you weren't an ass."

_~O~_

When we got home, Renee and Phil were still on the couch, but Renee was sitting up with a cup of chicken broth in her hands.

She looked like hell. Dark circles under her eyes, pale, lips cracked hair greasy and matted, all wrapped in sweats. But she was sitting up…and she wasn't vomiting while sitting up, so I assumed that she was doing better.

"Mom? Feeling better?" I asked her. Edward stood next to me, hands shoved in his pockets.

She nodded weakly.

"One more Nyquil knock-out sleep and I should be good as new." She smiled at me slightly, leaning against Phil.

"Why don't you let me take Isabella to school again tomorrow, then? We wouldn't want you to prolong your illness." Edward spoke up, gesturing to me casually.

Renee nodded gratefully.

"Thank you, Edward." Before we turned to walk away, she gestured for me to come to her.

I walked over cautiously.

Crooking her finger she beckoned me closer.

Nervously, I leaned in, placing my hands on my bare knees.

"That skirt is very short, Isabella. Be careful, baby girl." She spoke so only we could hear, placing her hand on my wrist.

My eyes widened. I gulped, nodding. "Sure Mom, I'll be careful." I tried to shrug off the helpless, hopeless, panic inducing feeling that she _knew_.

"Okay, sweets. We'll talk more about this tomorrow." She leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

"I love you, Bella. Don't do anything that I would do." She smiled and winked, then patted my thigh, gesturing that I could go.

I sighed through my nose.

She totally knew. My stomach knotted. She didn't seem like she was extremely angry, ready to beat Edward up and kick him out; but then again, my Mother was a 'mama bear.' And Mama Bear's know the precise moment to strike.

Turning around, I passed Edward, who followed me down the stairs.

"What'd she say to you?" He questioned curiously, placing his hand on my arm to stop me once we had reached the bottom step.

I frowned, "She told me to be careful; told me not to do anything that she would do."

His eyebrows rose.

"Okay…"

"That's all. We're going to talk more about it tomorrow." I shrugged, nervously.

He leaned in a little bit.

"It'll be okay, Bella." He whispered, kissing my forehead.

"Bella?" I questioned, hoping he would know what I meant. He did.

He nodded, "My Bella."

My eyebrows flew up my forehead, "Your Bella? I'm not a dog."

A genuine smile reached his face, "Fine. My Belle."

The way the words rolled from his tongue made me tingle. I leaned into him gently, and he smiled, pulling us towards my room.

"Let's get ready for bed."

I nodded, "Okay." In the back of my mind, I hoped for something delicious to happen in my bed.

Ten minutes later, as we lay next to each other in bed, he held my hand.

"Belle?" He asked me.

I smiled at my new nickname. "Yeah?"

"Don't worry about Renee. Phil. No worries. Let's just go to sleep, and we'll think about everything and over analyze tomorrow, okay?"

Sighing, I lied, "Okay."

He snorted next to me.

"'Okay', liar. Come here." He pulled me so I was lying halfway on top of him.

I rested on him, cuddling into his comfortable body.

His hands pulled through my hair gently, untangling the ends, and soothing me softly.

I closed my eyes, letting my body relax into his.

And then it started.

It was so quiet at first, that I thought it was nothing. A low rumbling that soothed me to my very core while at the same time twisting my stomach into hard knots.

After a moment, I realized what the rumbling was.

Edward was humming.

To me.

He was doing it slowly, and so quiet that I felt it in his chest more than I heard it, but he was doing it, softly pulling his hands through my hair to relax me, and humming to me to lull me to sleep. And I never thought he would be the type; Big bad, bike riding, smoker, who was dating an eighteen year old girl, humming softly and quietly.

And because I was a chick, and because hussy had already passed out on his chest, snoring loudly and annoyingly, I let it pull me into a deep, comfortable rest.

Damn him and his perfection.

~O~

The next morning, I was a nervous wreck. I paced my room for almost an hour and a half before he could coax me out to eat.

And so we ascended the stairs of death, headed toward the kitchen of doom. I could hear Renee, shifting around, obviously still a little under the weather.

"Morning, Renee." Edward nodded to her when we went in, walking over to the coffee maker to pour himself a cup.

"Good morning, Edward. How'd you sleep?" She asked him. The dread in my stomach grew and grew. She knew. She knew everything. Why else would she ask him how he slept? She knew he slept in my room, and now we were going to be in huge trouble. Edward would lose his medical license, and I'd have to testify against him in court.

With those thoughts swirling around in my head, I began to swiftly hyperventilate.

"Bella? Are you okay?" Renee asked me as I collapsed in the chair across from her at the table.

I nodded, breathing heavily, anxiety spreading from my stomach, down my arms into my hands, where my palms sweated and the tips of my fingers tingled.

"Okay…" She trailed off, raising a disbelieving brow.

Edward squeezed my shoulder subtly, walking out of the kitchen.

As soon as I realized he was leaving, my stomach tightened and the anxiety reached a level so high, I thought I was going to choke from it.

Renee smiled at me.

"Hi, sweetie."

"Hi, Mom." I panted, my attention turned toward her again.

She smiled even more gently, and laid the back of her hand on the table, palm up, gesturing to me to hold it.

I did so with shaky fingers and sweaty palms.

Taking a deep breath, she began.

"My baby girl…I know you like him." My breath whooshed from my throat. "He's a good man, and I can understand why. You can stop hiding your crush from me. In fact, maybe if you talk about it, then it'll be easier to get over it."

The perspiration on my forehead was even more apparent when my eyebrows shot up.

"What?" I asked, staring at my mom nervously.

"I know that you have a little school girl crush on Edward. It's okay. He's an attractive, kind man. And with all those hormones raging around in that little body, I'm not surprised your head over heels, not at all. Let's talk about your crush. It's obvious it's not going to go anywhere, and you won't develop it, Bella. He's sixteen years older than you. It's quite alright to crush a little bit though. Tell me, does he know you have a crush on him?" She asked me, smiling widely.

She thought she had everything figured out.

Renee just assumed that I had a little fleeting crush on him, no big deal. She had absolutely no idea that we were in a relationship.

The perspiration stopped, my hands stilled, and my heart quieted to the point where I could actually hear again.

I could feel a grin that would make the Grinch jealous begin to slowly stretch on my face.

"No, he has no idea." I tried to pull the corners of my smile down, so that it wouldn't so menacing.

Renee nodded casually.

"So, how much do you like him, exactly?" She questioned, bouncing her eyebrows.

I shrugged, trying to play it down, "Enough that I don't want him to see me looking like a slob in the morning."

She nodded, "Well that's not too much. I'm sure it'll be out of your system in no time."

"Yeah," I nodded, "In fact, I think just telling someone has really made me look at the situation. It's just like that time that Angela had a crush on our English teacher. A little thing that will turn into nothing."

Renee beamed widely.

"Good, Bella! I'm so glad that you're not in too deep to see reason."

"Of course I can see reason. He's way too old for me."

Renee laughed, "Yes, he is." She squeezed my fingers.

"I'm glad that we're close enough that we can talk about this, Bella."

I nodded, "Yeah, me too."

She let go of my hand and stood up, kissing my forehead on her way out of the kitchen.

Slumping in my seat, I let out a little giggle, euphoric.

No more worrying, no more freaking out.

Officially off the hook.

~O~

After I had gathered up the strength, I walked down the stairs to find Edward and tell him the good news.

He sat on his bed, staring at his phone that was ringing in his hand.

I observed him from the door way, watching him as he watched his cell phone in upset and worry.

"Edward? Are you okay?" I asked him quietly.

His eyes snapped to me, and he nodded. One quick swipe across his phone and the call was ignored.

It started ringing again seconds later.

"Who's that?" I questioned cautiously, walking into his room carefully.

He ignored it again, and patted the bed.

"It's my family." Three words. And he acted like that was the end of the discussion.

"What do they want?" I asked, sitting on the bed next to him.

He shrugged, "To talk to me. What else?"

I shrugged too, and then wrapped my arms around his bicep, while both of us stared at his ringing phone.

"Why don't you answer it?"

He exhaled heavily through his nose. "Because I don't want to talk to them."

His words were hostile and I recoiled slightly.

"…Why?" I asked.

His teeth clenched, "Bella. Stop pushing."

And I knew to stop. Because he called me 'Bella.'

I nodded, "Okay."

His phone started ringing again, and we watched. When it rang for the third time since he told me to stop pushing, he opened his mouth.

"Because they wouldn't talk to me when I needed them most."

"When was that?" I asked, carefully treading on the eggshells that I was walking on.

He swallowed, and I watched his Adams apple bob.

"When I quit practicing." His words were quiet as he watched his phone light up again. I didn't want to push and make him mad, but Angela's words rushed to the front of my mind.

"_Do you think that he stopped because he got in trouble over sex with a patient? Or maybe even sex with an _underage_ patient?"_

I bit my tongue, lightly, wondering if I should ask.

And then I decided it was now or never, so I opened my mouth, just as Edwards phone stopped ringing, "Why…Why did you stop?"

He raised his eyebrow at me, "Why do you need to know?"

I shook my head angrily, "Forget it." My words were biting, and I made no move to soothe the tone.

His phone started ringing again.

"Edward, if you giving up practicing was such a huge deal that you stopped talking to family, then as your girlfriend, I should probably know about it! It sounds like something big in your life! I'm sick of not having the most important pieces to the puzzle, Edward! Without them, nothing else makes sense!" I blew up. I just blew up. I couldn't help it, and just like that, it happened, something that had been building and building and building finally just boiled over and I was waving my arms crazily, not quite yelling but definitely not using my indoor voice, at Edward.

There was silence, and then his phone started ringing…again.

"Turn the fucking thing off if you're not going to answer!" I gestured to it, breathing heavily.

He glared, but turned it off.

"I stopped practicing because he died, okay? He died! And I could do absolutely NOTHING to stop it!" Jumping up from the bed, he looked down at me, towering, and a sky scraper to my one story house.

I pulled back, leaning back on my hands as he continued to yell.

"He came to me hours before and told me that he was upset! He missed everything! He didn't want to feel, he didn't want to remember the awful things he had done! I wrote him off, and told him it was a craving and we could talk though it. Well I was wrong, and minutes after he arrived back in his room he over dosed on heroin, while I sit in my office, patting myself on the back for helping someone else."

He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, talking quieter now.

"I gave up practicing when his roommate found him lying dead on the floor. He ran down the halls, screaming for someone to help, so I ran to the room and gave him CPR. It was too fucking late, Belle. While every patient in that place stared down at me, I tried so hard to save him. Plenty of patients had OD'd before. It had never hit so close to home."

My voice was almost inaudible, "Why?"

He closed his eyes, closing off his face so that it was emotionless.

"Because I wasn't friends with them." I didn't know what to say. So I just sat there, staring up at him, afraid to move.

After a few minutes, he took a very deep breath, and then opened his eyes. He walked over to his desk and pulled something out of the second drawer.

Rum.

Taking off the lid, he took a large swig then turned to me, raising a normal cocky eyebrow, back to himself.

"Ever had a drink before?" He smirked.

I shrugged. I'd had beer. I'd had champagne. I'd even had wine.

I'd never had rum.

He walked over to me, offering the bottle, "Want to give a little bit a try? No getting drunk. Just a buzz. You'll like it."

Sitting up carefully, I took the bottle from him and sniffed curiously.

When I recoiled from the smell, he laughed.

"Here. I'll get you a chaser; it'll make it go down easier." Shrugging, he walked back over to his desk, producing a can of vanilla coke.

I frowned, looking at the drink.

"Take a sip, and then chase it down." He jerked his head toward the bottle in my hand, then opened the can of coke and handed it to me.

Taking the can, I hesitated.

"Edward…" Trailing off, I frowned nervously.

He heaved a large sigh, and sat down on the bed with me.

"Bella. I know this isn't healthy. Drinking the memories away, distracting myself. I know it's not right. I know. But, I don't want to think about it. Just drink with me, okay? Let me not think for a few minutes...its five o clock somewhere, right?" He jiggled his eyebrows once, but it wasn't like it normally was.

A failed attempt at his normal, confident self.

I saw what he really was.

He was a guy that was running. Running away from the world.

That couldn't be right. What could that mean? That Edward was just going to use me as a distraction for a while and then leave?

He said he cared about me…but did he care more about the distraction?

Sighing, I gave up. He didn't want to think? Then we wouldn't think.

I tipped the bottle up, taking a large sip before downing half the can of vanilla coke.

_All in. No matter what.  
_

* * *

**HELLO! I****IIIIII'MMMM BAAAAA-AAACKK!**_  
_

**I'm so incredibly sorry about the delay! I know that it was so long! I KNOW! The reason why it was so long, is because I was writing the chapter, done writing, actually, and ready to upload it, when it happened. My computer forced a shut down. And because I was an idiot, I hadn't saved the chapter, just kept it open on my desktop.  
**

**I was angry. At myself for not saving the chapter. At my computer for forcing the shut down. And I didn't write for a little while because of my anger. HOWEVER! I truly believe that this chapter is better than the last one! YAY?!  
**

**Please review! I know that I'm a total loser for not updating when I said I would, but this chapter was really hard, and i'd love to hear your thoughts, yeah?  
**

**Okay! LOVE YOU ALL!  
**

**-Drinking. :)  
**


	14. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Twelve_

BPOV:

"Izzzzzaaaaaabbbbbeeeeewwwwwa aaaaa…." Edward lay on his bed, slurring my name quietly.

I paced the room, paranoid, and panicking about what would happen if Renee or Phil found out that Edward was totally smashed in his room.

And their daughter was in his room with him, buzzed to the point of stumbling, not to mention, a little nauseous, as she paced…

"Shh, Edward." I murmured, tugging at my hair with my hands.

"Lay with me." I was hoping he was sobering up after putting together a sentence, only barely slurring, until he started saying variations of my name.

"Bella. Bellz. Belle. My Belle. Bell..y…My belly." He chuckled after the last one, reaching for the half empty bottle of rum.

"Yeah, no." I pulled the bottle away from him.

"Come lay witf me, my little belly." He reached for me, catching my pajama pants that I still hadn't changed out of.

I let him pull me onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Edward let out a loud belch.

"Dear god," I over exaggeratedly sobbed at the ceiling.

Edward chuckled, pulling me into his body so that we were spooning.

"Mmm…You smell." He whispered, burying his face in my hair. My eyebrows pulled together hard, and I pulled slightly away from him.

"I smell?" I questioned, preparing to go take a shower.

"The good one," He assured me.

Pushing my body back into his, I pulled his arms further around me.

"Edward?" I whispered.

"Yezzzzzzz, delicious belly?" He sucked my neck harshly. My nerves tingled, and a flash back of his tongue buried deep inside of me came to the front of my mind.

"Oh god…uhhh….uhm…..Edward. What am I to you?" The question had come from nowhere, but I didn't bother taking it back, because I had been wondering what I meant to him for an entire week, and while he was drunk…well, it was the perfect time to get it out of him.

He sucked harder on my neck for a second before he pulled away.

"You? You know. You're my little bellzzzzyyyy bee. You bbbbzzzzzzddddddd your way in, cute little thing in yellow and black." He nuzzled my neck again.

Laying here was nice and warm and comfortable, and even though I was fighting it, I was slowly falling asleep in my buzzed state.

"What does that even_ mean_?" I questioned, yawning.

He shrugged, still nuzzling, "It means that I'm the lion, little lamb. And, we're lying together peacefully."

And that was when I realized that not only was Edward an extremely affectionate drunk; he was also a mysterious one.

So, I gave up and fell asleep to him nuzzling and sucking my neck.

* * *

"How we need another soul to cling to, another body to keep us warm. To rest and trust; to give your soul in confidence: I need this, I need someone to pour myself into." Sylvia Plath

* * *

"Belle. Wake up." A tired voice was whispering in my ear, and a hand was rubbing my hip.

"No." I whispered, placing my hand on top of the hand on my hip to get it to stop moving.

"We napped for three hours. Time to wake up, my little Belle." His words made me open my eyes a little bit.

"Three hours?" I questioned, falling back into his body. He was warm and comforting around me. I couldn't help but snuggle into him.

"Yeah, babe. Let's get up and go watch a movie in the living room." His hand dipped under my shirt and rubbed my stomach.

"Mmm…that feels nice." I whispered, reaching down to place my hand over his.

"It does, huh?" He kissed my shoulder, and then lowered both of our hands to just below the waist band of my pajama shorts.

"Yeah…It does." I whispered.

He sucked lightly at my neck.

"And yesterday?" He moved his warm hand to knead at my hip.

Closing my eyes, I breathed out a gentle sigh.

"That was nice, too." I whispered, "Thank you…For that."

He exhaled warmly onto my neck, "It was my pleasure."

My eyebrows knitted, but before I could make an innuendo about it being my pleasure, he spoke. His voice was quiet. It was serious. His hand dipped under my shirt to slowly brush his fingers back and forth across my stomach, his finger circling my belly button.

"Belle?"

"Yes?" I replied, as his hand moved up to press itself on the warm skin between my breasts.

"I don't do this. I don't apologize. But I'm sorry. For doing what I did earlier. With the alcohol. I'm not perfect, and I'll fuck up, yeah? I won't do it again." He stroked the tender skin and kissed my temple gently.

I nodded, "There's nothing to forgive. I fuck up too." Shrugging, I pushed closer to him.

He kissed my neck.

"Let's go take a shower." He requested.

And because I wasn't insecure with him, because he'd seen it all, because I trusted him, I nodded. We got out of bed, him following close behind me, gently guiding me with his hands on my hips.

"Where are Mom and Phil?" I asked him, simply because he had been awake longer.

"I heard them leave about twenty minutes ago. I don't know where they went." He murmured as we arrived in the bathroom.

He let go of me, the first time since I woke up, turned on the shower, and then pulled his shirt over his head. Turning to me, he kissed me gently, and I finally got to see his eyes.

They were normally teasing, sarcastic. I'd seen them angry, hard, gentle, thoughtful and beseeching. I'd never seen them devastated. And I lost myself in them, the green pools of heartbreak and sadness. He was anguished.

I had never wanted anything more in my short life than to cure him of his pain. Suddenly, even after all I'd heard from him, being a psychiatrist didn't seem like such a bad idea. I knew why he became one. To see the light come back into someone's eyes must be lovely.

He closed his eyes, and kissed me gently again. I knew why he wanted this. He wanted intimacy. And I'd give it to him.

In that moment, no matter how childish or immature, I decided to give myself to him. Whether he wanted me, or I was just a distraction. I had decided that whatever something meant to him would be what it meant to me.

Well I was finished with that strategy; even if this shower just meant reconnecting to someone so that he wouldn't feel so alone, I would give it to him. Because to me, it meant seeing each other for the first time, hiding nothing, whether it be an imperfect scar, or an emotional blemish.

His warm fingers appeared at my hips, and he slowly peeled my shirt off of me, taking time to look at me after he was finished.

He traced the cups of my bra with his fingertip, and then brushed the back of his hand over the skin. His hand drifted down and he tugged my pants down as the room began to steam up from the water. Slowly, his hands fell to my shoulders, and he turned me around so he could unclasp my bra. A kiss was brushed against my shoulder, as the clasp gave and the straps fell down my arms. The bra fell to the floor.

I always thought I would be nervous in a time like this. The first time a man would see me naked. Always figuring it to be a boyfriend, I got nervous about them disliking how I looked.

But right now, there were no fears. There was just warmth. A calm acceptance. We were us, no matter how we looked. And fuck me if his imperfections didn't just make him more perfect.

His hands drifted from my back to my sides, then my stomach, where they eased down to my underwear. He dragged them down gently, kneeling to get them off all the way. I stepped out of them, and then turned to him.

He was kneeling down, holding my underwear in his hands. He let it drop to the floor as his eyes climbed my body, finally landing on my face. Leaning forward, he kissed my stomach.

"You are beautiful." He whispered, standing to his full height.

I smiled at him, letting my hands drift. His chest was so smooth, yet hard. A rock covered by warm, soft flesh.

He cupped my elbows, than leaned forward to kiss my forehead. I kissed his sternum, letting my hands fall to the waistband of his pajama pants. I tugged them, along with his underwear down in one fluid movement, and he smiled, breathing out a snicker.

I was too nervous to look, so I just pulled myself into the shower, standing under the almost too warm spray.

Edward climbed in and stood behind me, sharing the spray with me. He rested his hands on my hips, molding his front to my back. I could feel _him _behind me, and I took a deep breath.

But there was nothing to be nervous about. He didn't press it against me, or rub in a provocative manner. He just held me close while the water soaked us both.

After a few minutes, his front fell from my back for a moment, and I looked back in time to see him grab some body wash and shampoo. He placed the shampoo on the shelf in the corner next to the shower head and then squirted some body wash into his hand pulling us out of the spray so he could gently rub the manly smelling wash into my skin.

I closed my eyes as he rubbed my stomach, and then my breasts. My collar bones than my shoulders, where he paused to give me a massage. He rubbed the soap down my back, moving my hair over my shoulder so he could reach my neck, which he also took the time to rub.

With a gentleness that I had never felt from him before, he rubbed the soap down my arms, to my hands. He used his fingernails to get the dirt from under my nails, and then rubbed my hands carefully.

He kneeled down behind me, and rubbed the body wash into my legs, briefly washing my bum, before he urged me to turn to so he could wash my feet. He kissed my sudsy stomach before he stood, then turned me back around. He encouraged me to place my thigh on the side of the bath, and I did so, trusting him. His hand had little soap on it by the time he did my inner thighs and my womanhood. He gently rubbed the soap in, being so tender. So, _so tender. _I sighed softly as he guided us back under the spray so that it could wash off.

But he wasn't done.

He poured some shampoo into his palm and then massaged it into my head, slowly trailing the soap down through the ends. He worked it into the roots, then through the rest of my hair. He was gentle, soft. There had been no words spoken, but we didn't need any.

After we had rinsed the shampoo out of my hair, I grabbed the body wash and turned toward him, finally taking him all in.

All the medical text books in the world would not have prepared me for what I saw. His anatomy was large, possibly because he was hard, I didn't know. All I knew was that he was large, and…well, It sounds cliché, but he was beautiful. I never thought something like that could be beautiful, but he was.

I must've been staring for a while, because he put his finger under my chin to lift it. He had an eyebrow raised teasingly.

Ducking my head, I blushed, and poured the soap into my hand. I explored his body gently, just like he had mine. He was so large. His hands were warm, and gentle. So much so that I forgot that they were probably a third larger than mine. His legs were long, muscular and only slightly hairy. I never thought feet could be sexy, but Edward had proved me wrong.

His long arms were muscular, as I had seen before. But this was just shocking. He was just muscular all over. He was all defined pecs and less than 15 percent body fat. Not that I minded.

When I washed his back, and his bottom, I couldn't help but giggle a little bit immaturely. He let out a chuckle, a simple, contented, breathed chuckle. It was awkward at first when I went to wash his manhood, but he just let me brush across it, cleaning gently, before I guided him under the water that had cooled down considerably since we got in the shower.

I washed his hair. It was difficult because he was so tall, but he bent so that I could reach. I played with the strands, making it stick up all over, and he laughed when he realized what I was doing.

He let me rub the shampoo through his hair, making crazy hairstyles, before he got under the spray and washed it out.

Pulling me to him, he kissed me until the water ran cold. Then, he only shut it off before turning to kiss me again. The kiss was urgent, and gentle, needy. I kissed him back, loving the feel of his wet lips against mine.

Finally, after a few minutes, we got out of the shower, where he toweled me off, and I did the same for him, dragging the towel down his body.

We wrapped towels around our bodies and then walked briskly into my bedroom so that I could get dressed. I let the towel drop before I pulled on my underwear, and then some jeans and a strapless green shirt that I was in love with.

After I was done, I turned to him. He sat on the bed, with only a towel around his lower half. I walked over, placing each knee next to each of his hips so I was straddling him.

"Hi." I whispered, leaning in to kiss him softly.

He put his hand on my hip, and the other on my back in between my shoulder blades. He kissed me for a moment before sucking on my lip and pulling away.

"Hello. I need to get dressed." He whispered, but leaned into suck more on my lips.

"I prefer you like this." I breathed, letting my hand drag down his chest.

He laughed, "Damn, girl."

I raised an eyebrow, leaning in to suck his neck.

His hands drifted down to rest on my ass.

He squeezed, "I have to get dressed, babe. It's fucking cold."

Laughing, I got off of him, because I understood. Renee turned the air conditioning up ridiculously high in the summer.

Even though I knew he was just going to the room right next door, hearing him leave my room made me sad. I shook myself out of it, and walked over to my dresser, so I could brush my hair and blow it dry.

Edward walked in as I blew it dry, all dressed with towel dried hair. He wrapped his arms around me, and placed his chin on my shoulder, looking at us in the mirror.

I sighed, it was going to be difficult to blow the left side of my head dry with him right there. But I did my best, getting the ends before I blew the hot hair between our heads. Edward smiled, kissing the hickey on my neck, which I had noticed while I had brushed my hair. I glared at him for giving me a hickey through the mirror, but he just shrugged, and tapped my bottom, going to stretch comfortably on my bed while I finished my hair.

After blowing my hair dry, I ratted the roots and pulled it into a half ponytail before putting my make up on.

"Fuck. It takes so much time to be a girl." Edward whined from my bed, where he had been complaining for twenty two of the twenty five minutes he had been sitting there.

"I'm almost done. Quit whining!" I reinforced my incredibly kind and patient request by throwing my hairbrush at him. It landed on his chest with a thumb that didn't seem to faze him, much less hurt him.

I pouted, applying my eyeliner.

"We should probably go out. I don't want you to waste all that getting ready to just sit at home." Edward began brushing his hair with the brush I had thrown at him.

"Whatever." I shrugged, mostly because I was just getting ready like I would any other Saturday.

"Where do you want to go?" He asked me as he used the brush to make all of his hair stand up straight.

"Hmmm...I don't know. Why don't we go to lunch?" I asked him even though it was midafternoon, way past lunch time. I was hungry. It was definitely time to eat.

He nodded, "I'm starving."

"Okay!" I enthused, finishing my make up quickly.

When I finished, I walked over to the bed and grabbed his forearm, "Let's go."

He stood, kissing my cheek before he grabbed my hand, pulling me up the stairs. The minute we reached the top, Phil and Renee came bursting through.

"We brought lunch!" Renee sang, dashing up the stairs to the kitchen where she deposited the food onto the table.

"Thanks, Mom." I smiled at her, shrugging at Edward behind her back in a silent apology.

Take out, as always. This time it was from the deli in the Wal-Mart. I grabbed some chicken and then poured some chips onto my plate before I picked up to go downstairs and watch TV.

"Uh uh young lady! You stay in here. We're going to be having family quality time, starting now." I whirled toward her, begging her with my eyes to let this go.

"Mom..."I trailed off.

"No. We all need to do a little bit of bonding. And that includes Edward." She pointed a stern hand at the chair I usually sat in.

I stared at it in horror.

_Bella? Meet worst nightmare. _

* * *

**Authors note: Hey guys! Did you like the chapter? What did you think of the quote? What do you think is going to happen during 'family bonding night'? **

**Thank you for the reviews, and thank you so much for being so understanding about my absence! I promise I will never wait that long again. It is possible that updating may be slowing down slightly, but only slightly.  
**

**So! Tell me what you thought of the chapter, of Edwards apology. What about their shower? What did you guys think of it?  
**

**LOVE YOU! Thanks for the R&R!  
**

**-Drinking. :)  
**


	15. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Thirteen_

BPOV:

I flopped down into my chair, the chair next to Edward, worried about the night. Ridiculous thoughts crawled into my head. This was going to end badly. I just knew it.

"So, tonight after dinner we'll make cookies, watch a movie, and possibly play some board games?" Renee inquired to everyone. Except for it wasn't a question. She was demanding family time.

Normally I didn't mind when she did stuff like this. Family bonding never bothered me. It was fun to joke around and watch movies, especially when Phil got here. He could never follow the story lines of our chick flicks, so as we watched it, we had to explain things again and again. It was fun to watch his reactions, so we always chose chick flicks like The Notebook, or A Walk to Remember.

I usually liked it.

But tonight, if disliking family time was wrong, then I didn't want to be right. I glared at Renee spitefully while I pushed my food around my plate, making a little fort out of the chips to protect the chicken. Protect the chicken from what, I didn't know.

"Everything alright, Bella?" Phil asked me. I nodded, glaring at him for supporting Renee. He accepted the answer, oblivious to anything outside of the vicinity of his plate.

Renee smiled at me sweetly. I threw a chip at her.

"Oops. Sorry." I gave her the same fake sickly sweet smile that she gave me.

Edward coughed and raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged, not in the mood to try to communicate the entity of the situation with my eyebrows.

He nodded, accepting the answer for now. I pick at my plate, as his sock covered foot slowly wraps ankles with mine.

After a moment of this, I got a text on my phone.

_It'll be okay. Calm down. You're making me fucking nervous._

It was an unknown number.

But I knew who it was.

_**How'd you get my number, creeper?**_

I tried to reply discreetly. If Renee knew my phone was out at the table, she'd take it away until tomorrow morning.

Edward however, thought he could have his phone out, texting as much as he wanted no matter how rude it was. I frowned as he held it up when my text rang in. It was going to happen. 5-4-3-2-.

"Who are you texting, Edward?" Renee asked curiously. And there it was.

Edward shrugged, briefly making eye contact with Renee. "My sister. So sorry to be rude. I'll stop." He smiled angelically. And damn if his fake smile wasn't ten times better than Renee's and mine combined. I pouted. He winked.

"No, by all means, Edward! It's quite alright." Renee patted his hand.

_Really?_ She'd taken my phone away countless times for texting at this very table.

Damn Edward and his charm.

"No, really. I just have to say goodbye." He smiled at her.

My phone vibrated a second later, just as Edward tucked his phone into his pocket.

_Think I could finger you under the table without her noticing?_

I gasped harshly, choking unattractively at the air that I had pulled into my lungs.

Edward patted my back as I coughed harshly.

"Are you okay?" He asked me softly once I had stopped.

"I'm okay." I smiled at him. Renee and Phil turned back to their food, and as soon as they did, I shook my head frantically at him.

His body shook with a chuckle but he nodded.

I tried to calm my frantically beating heart.

Glaring at him, I popped a piece of chicken in my mouth, chewing it at him.

He laughed, over exaggeratingly chewing his food with his mouth closed, as if he was teaching a four year old that it was bad manners to chew with your mouth open.

I punched him in the arm, and then turned back to my food only to notice Renee and Phil staring at us. Renee was smiling at our silliness, but Phil…Phil was a different story. He stared between Edward and I with his brows furrowed.

Clearing my throat, I popped a chip in my mouth.

Renee stood up. "Everybody ready to start making chocolate chip cookies?"

And so the night began.

~O~

Because four people weren't needed to make a dozen chocolate chip cookies from the box, Edward and I sat at the table, conversing with Mom and Phil.

"So, Edward. I haven't been able to ask what field you work in. I know you are in the medical field, but what exactly do you do?" Renee batted her eyelashes.

Edward sucked his teeth uncomfortably.

"Psychiatry." He didn't elaborate.

But this was Renee we were talking about here, so of course, she asked an endless string of questions.

"_Oh, are you taking time off to get settled here?" _

"_You didn't like Psychiatry? Are you switching fields then?"_

"_I see..Well, where did you work as a psychiatrist?" _

"_That must've been interesting! And sad. You didn't enjoy it?"_

"_Did you not enjoy it because of the atmosphere?" _

And they went on. And on. Edward politely answered her questions, monosyllabic answers mostly.

The entire time that Renee was peppering him with questions I couldn't help but wonder why he was opening up to her about his job more than he had opened up with me. If I had asked him these kinds of questions he would've flipped a bitch. I felt a little thankful to Renee, though. Because she was being herself. Nosey. And because of that fact, I got to know Edward more.

Finally, after the cookies had been placed in the oven, Edward snapped. Just a little bit.

"I'm gonna go for a smoke." He stood up, smiling tightly at Renee before he walked outside into the cool evening air, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and immediately lighting up as he walked up the stairs to the balcony, and out of sight.

"Mom...you made him uncomfortable." I accused, turning to her.

She shrugged, "I just wanted to know more about his job."

"Well, it's obviously a sensitive subject for the man. Why couldn't you have just let it be?" I threw my arms up in the air.

"I couldn't let it go, because you and he are always together, Bella! He's a thirty two year old man, spending hours a day with my seventeen year old daughter! I need to know more about him!" She exclaimed, walking so close to me, our boobs were touching.

I backed up, placing my hands on my hips.

"Well, last time I checked, you spend time with people you live with! Sorry if that was all a misunderstanding!"

She glared at me, jabbing her finger into my shoulder "See, this is the kind of attitude I hate. The sarcastic, smart ass, bitch attitude."

I rolled my eyes, "Interesting that you hate your own personality."

"Hey! Apologize to your mother." Phil stepped in.

I raised my eyebrows, but relented, realizing that it was out of line.

"Sorry." I looked down at the floor, so that they couldn't see my eyes rolling.

"Apology accepted. Now let's just try and have a nice night…okay?" Renee asked, reaching to put a hand on my arm.

"Yeah. Okay." I nodded, halfheartedly.

"Is something burning?" Edward asked as he walked in.

My head darted up, and Renee ran to the oven. Smoke billowed out as she opened the door.

"Get the windows!" She yelled out as Phil began waving a dish towel in front of the smoke detector so that it wouldn't go off.

Edward threw the sliding door open and then ran into the living room with me to open all the windows.

I turned on the fan that was conveniently placed next to the sliding door for moments like this, and grabbed two dish towels, handing one to Edward as we tried to wave the smoke out.

After minutes of this, Renee spoke up.

"I think that we can stop now."

My arms were a little sore from waving the towel around, so I didn't protest, even though the smoke was still visible.

"Where's the cookies?" I asked. She didn't say anything, just pointed to the backyard.

I nodded.

"Can family bonding night be over now?" I questioned, resigned.

Renee looked at Phil, and then they both nodded.

"Okay."

Edwards' eyebrows pulled together.

"Are you guys sure? We can all still watch a movie." He suggested, but Renee shook her head.

"Why don't you and Bella go out? The house stinks anyway." She shrugged.

He nodded, "Okay. Bella, I'm gonna go grab the jackets. I'll be right back."

As he walked passed me, he patted my back.

When he was out of ear shot, Renee raised her bitch brow at me, "If he's what makes you happy, I won't stand in your way."

I frowned, "What do you mean?" My eyes darted to Phil, who had looked suspicious as of late.

"I mean that it's obvious you care deeply about him. I don't want you to be in a romantic relationship with him, but you two can be friends." Renee raised both eyebrows, daring me to challenge anything she had said.

"Okay." I whispered.

She shook her head, "I'm disappointed you didn't tell me everything when I asked, Bella."

I nodded, because I was disappointed in me too. Besides, my birthday was only two weeks away, and then we could tell her. No big deal…right?

~O~

"What happened in there, Belle?" Edward asked me as we walked around the park, holding hands.

I stared at the ducks in the pond.

"She said that she wouldn't stand in the way of our friendship." He squeezed me close to him, trying to get me to look him in the eye. Warmth flooded through me at his casual touch.

"And what about our relationship?" He placed a finger under my chin, directing my gaze to his. He ran his knuckles over my jaw.

I shrugged, "Well, if she knew about our relationship, then you'd probably be dead." He smiled.

He stopped walking, and I turned to him. His eyes were calculating as he stared at me.

"What?"

"When are we going to tell them?" He asked tightly.

I closed my eyes, tucking myself under his chin, "I don't know. After my eighteenth birthday." He smelled just like everything wonderful in the world….and a little bit of burnt cookie…

He nodded, "Okay. I can wait that long."

"Okay." I whispered, glad that he was accepting what I was saying.

And that was all that was said on the subject. For the rest of our evening out, we talked about his job as a psychiatrist, and things that he loved and hated about it. He asked me what tattoo I would get if I ever got one, and I told him that I was fully committed to getting the words 'pain is all around, like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind' between my shoulder blades.

He looked at me, intrigued. "We could go get it. On the night of your eighteenth birthday. I'll pay."

I nodded, "Okay."

"What else do you want to do for your birthday?" He questioned quietly after a few moments of silence.

I shrugged, "Have sex."

His eyes widened dramatically, and he pretended to choke on air.

Laughing, I swatted his arm.

"With whom, may I ask, young lady?" He slapped my butt.

I circled around him as ifI was appraising him. And I'll admit that I shamelessly stared at his ass and his jaw while I was doing it.

"I think you'll do." I nodded.

He bounced his eyebrows.

"Then I'm a lucky man." He leered at me.

"You're such an old perv." I pushed him away from me with the hand on his chest.

Placing his hand over his heart, he acted wounded, mouthing 'me'?

I nodded, and he glared.

"You wound me, Isabella. I think this deserves a spanking."

Clearing my throat, I looked around awkwardly.

He snickered, "I was just kidding. Promise."

I nodded. Sometimes I forgot how inexperienced I was. Compare that to his vast experience and I was embarrassed I hadn't taken Shelley Waters up on her offer.

He sighed through his nose, and pulled a smoke out of his pocket as we continued to walk.

"Bella. You want this. Right?"

He'd never asked me this question right out. He had told me to tell him if I didn't want it, he had gotten agitated and told me to figure out exactly what I wanted from him too many times to count. He had never asked me if I was in it for good.

"I want this." I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and tilted my face in hopes of a kiss. He gave me what I wanted, kissing me slowly, but hard, his lips pushing and pulling at mine in an erotic dance that I hadn't quite learned the steps to.

When he pulled away, we were both breathing rather heavily.

"Good." He whispered.

"Now you didn't eat a fucking thing off your plate. Want to go for dinner?" He questioned, and I laughed because he was ridiculously observant.

I nodded, "I'm starved."

Smiling, he leaned in and gave me a small peck on the lips before he turned to go. As we walked, someone began yelling Edwards' name from somewhere behind us.

He turned, his eyebrows pulling together, and then he froze.

"Edward!"

"Hello, Jacob. You're doing well, I presume?" He murmured quietly as the man caught up to us.

"Oh yeah! Doing great. You still working at the rehab center?" He asked, smiling brightly.

Jacob was tall. Taller than Edward. When he smiled, his teeth were blinding because they were so white against his beautiful dark skin. He had tattoos everywhere and long black hair. You could just tell he was a big teddy bear, though, from the big brown eyes and sweet smile that he wore.

Edwards eyes were tight, and his smile was nonexistent, "Actually, no, I'm not." He tilted his head, and forced out a smile that curled the corners of his mouth awkwardly. His bright green eyes burned into Jacob with a sense of familiarity and…something else.

Jacobs' eyes widened, "No way, man! I thought you would be there forever. What are you doing now? Taking over the world, one step at a time?" Jacob teased Edward, punching his arm.

In that moment, I decided this Jacob guy was completely oblivious.

Edward cleared his throat, "Something like that."

I frowned, staring down at the ground awkwardly.

Jacob sniffed at the awkward that moment, and I could practically feel his eyes bounce onto me in relief for a conversation starter.

"And who's this beautiful lady?" He smiled, extending a hand toward me. I gave him my hand to shake, but he pulled up to his mouth and brushed his lips against my knuckles.

I smiled as I pulled my hand away from him.

"My name is Bella."

Edward wrapped his arm around my middle, his hand resting on my hip, thumb circling on the skin between my jeans and shirt, and Jacobs eyes zeroed in on it.

"She's my girlfriend." Edward

Jacobs eyes widened, "Sorry dude." He shrugged, smiling sheepishly.

Edward shrugged, "it's cool."

Jacob smiled at me, "Sorry 'bout that. We're being rude. My name is Jacob. I was one of Edwards patients back at the rehab center. Two years clean now."

"Oh wow. Good for you." I smiled at him.

He nodded proudly, puffing his chest out.

Edward cleared his throat. "Actually, Bella and I were just headed to dinner, so we better head off or we'll miss our reservations."

Jacobs' eyebrows shot up, obviously spotting the lie as soon as it was told. Maybe he wasn't quite as oblivious as I thought.

"Okay. Talk to you later Edward?"

Edwards' eyes narrowed minutely, then he nodded.

"Sure, man. See you around."

Jacob pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Edward before we could make it a single step.

"Could I have your number again? I lost it when I got my new phone." Jacob pushed his cell phone into Edwards palm gently.

He nodded, turning to me while he punched his number in.

"I used to give all my patients my cell phone number when they left the center, so if they needed to talk to anyone, they could always call me." His voice was void of emotion.

"Oh." I nodded.

He handed the phone back to Jacob and said a quick, "Call me if you need anything" Before he walked away, pulling me so fast that we were almost running.

I didn't want to ask him what was up, so we got on the motorcycle and drove to the nearest Wendy's.

We ordered and he paid, and then we sat down to eat. He was rather quiet as he picked at his baconator and fries.

"So. What was that all about?" I asked as I chewed my chicken nugget.

He smirked, "Well. I hated Jacob."

My eyebrows shot up. "Are doctors supposed to hate their patients?"

He shrugged, "It's not prohibited, as long as you don't treat them badly because of it."

I nodded, "Okay. Why did you hate Jacob?"

He thought for a moment, "Because he bullied other patients, and he was a smug asshole, even though he was there for the same thing everyone else was."

"Do you think he has changed? He seemed to be nice." I stated.

Scoffing, he shook his head. "Um, no. He was nice to us because there was a beautiful lady in his presence." He squeezed my hand.

I rolled my eyes, "Well who could blame him for finding me enormously attractive?" I rhetorically asked gesturing to myself.

He chuckled lightly, "I know I find you enormously attractive." He groped at my forearm wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

Smiling, I leaned over the table and kissed his cheek.

"If you want to talk…" I trailed off.

"I'll come to you." He finished my sentence.

His phone that was sitting on the table began to ring.

We both looked down at it, and he sighed.

It was Alice.

"Edward. Why don't you pick up?" I questioned.

He frowned, "They don't want to talk to me."

"It doesn't seem that way." I raised my eyebrows.

He shook his head, "They don't want to talk to me, Isabella."

"Oooh. My full name. If you were my father I would be afraid." I folded my arms immaturely across my chest and slumped in the seat.

He shoe covered foot trailed up my leg, "Your father wouldn't want to do the kinds of things that I want to do to you." And, cue the eyebrow jiggling.

I sat up straight, a blush filling my cheeks while Edward laughed into his drink.

"Lets get going." He stood up packing his leftovers, as well as mine before he led me out of the restaurant by his hand on the small of my back.

When we arrived at home, we walked in, ready to walk down the stairs the second we walked in, but Phil was waiting at the top of the stairs looking down at us.

"Isabella, I need to talk to you, please." It wasn't a question.

I nodded, swallowing anxiously. "Sure."

Edward walked down the stairs as I headed toward Phil, scared out of my mind.

This couldn't end well.

I just knew it couldn't.

* * *

**A/n: I'm so sorry it took so long, you guys! My friend was being a bitch and she kicked my laptop. Being a college student, it's been very hard for me to save the money and fix it. Well it is fixed-I think. Hopefully I won't be having any other issues, and since i'm ringing in a new semester I should be able to update pretty frequently and regularly for a while! **

**Tell me what ya'll thought of family night, and their night out.  
**

**-Drinking :)  
**


	16. Chapter Fourteen

**Disclaimer: The Characters belong to SM.**

**The plot belongs to me.**

* * *

_**The Housemate**_

_Chapter Fourteen_

When I stepped up to Phil, I remained quiet, waiting for him to make the first move. It didn't take him long, as he motioned to the kitchen so we could sit at the table. I knew then the conversation would be serious. If he just wanted to talk to me about school or something flippant we would've sat in the living room.

I tried to maintain an innocent face as I walked over to the table and sat in my usual chair, making sure to maintain eye contact and try to look confused about what was about to be said. It worked apparently, as Phil looked down at his hands at the table trying to gather his thoughts together.

He was quiet for quite a while, and the silence was beginning to make me squirm, so I finally spoke up, clearing my throat in the dim light of the room.

"What's up, Phil?" I asked him, smiling weakly when he looked up and laughed at my bluntness.

"Well.." He trailed off, "I didn't get that job, Bella." He sighed, and I nodded, shooting him a sympathetic look as relief coursed through my body. We were here to talk about money problems. Not my situation with Edward.

"I'm sorry, Phil. Really. I am." And I was. He had been trying so hard to provide for us because Renee had quit her job. He had done a fairly good job so far, but it didn't take a genius to know that we still needed her income.

He nodded, and we were quiet for a few more minutes before I broke the silence again.

"What are we going to do?"

He shrugged, unhappily. He looked tired. Tired, and sick of everything that was happening. He looked too young to be in this situation. It almost made me angry. Phil was a young guy, and he was stuck with my heavily baggaged Mother, and me; her kid, the one to make the honeymoon phase incredibly awkward. A pang of 'you don't belong in this picture' hit me hard in the stomach uncomfortably.

Phil cleared his throat and licked his lips. "We're actually making it right now, what with Edward moving in. His extra money this month has helped up immensely. However, things are about to get extremely tight."

I nodded, "Of course. Because they didn't give you the job." I stated the obvious, hoping that that was the only reason things were going to be tighter.

"Well, yes."

Phil sighed, looking at the ceiling, and I noticed the circles under his eyes.

"Look, Bella. This isn't going to be easy for me to tell you, so I'm just going to blurt it out, okay?"

I nodded for what felt like the millionth time this conversation. I studied the table underneath my fingertips while I waited for him to take a deep breath and spit it out.

"Renee and I...We won't be able to help with any kind of college payments. We always told you to shoot for the stars, and that's still what we want you to do..But we want you to do it close to home so that you can still live here." I looked up in surprise. Renee had always told me that I would never have to take out loans, that she'd help me no matter what.

I understood..but still. She had told me that she had an account for me that held college money. That it wasn't a lot, but it could be helpful.

It was gone now, probably. Used to pay off a debt. Or maybe to pay off all of their debt. I understood, but irrational anger twisted at me.

My stomach twisted and I took a deep breath. I had to be understanding about this. It wasn't their fault. The economy was going downhill. Life wasn't as easy as it used to be with Renee working part time. I understood…Didn't I?

Kids took out loans all the time. Why couldn't I?

My pep talk helped me to breathe a small and exhausted, "Okay."

Suddenly, I felt as if the weight of the world was on my shoulders. I wouldn't have help. I'd have to figure this all out for myself. That meant that I would have to work while in college. I could do that, kids did that all the time. Living at home wasn't a nightmare. Kids went to local colleges, and made it big in the world. They shot for the stars and reached their dreams. And I would do the same.

"We've been putting a little bit away for your college for quite a while now...but that money will have to be spent."

I had just assumed it was already gone. They still had it? I let out a breath, hoping that they would just give it to me, and I could spend it myself. On college. But it wouldn't work that way. My hopes were childish.

"Oh? And on what, exactly?" I couldn't help but be a little bitter. Truthfully, I just wanted to run away, go downstairs and hide under Edwards covers with him and forget.

"Well...You see, we will be spending it on a baby. Your mama's pregnant, Bella." He smiled at me, and I could tell there was real happiness shining in his eyes, he looked a little more his age, and a little less tired. But I shook my head, incredulously.

Phil's face fell the smallest bit. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for my words.

"My mother is forty nine years old, Phil." The words came out of numb lips. She didn't look forty nine years old, not a grey hair on her head. She _looked_ mid thirties, but that didn't mean that that's what she _was_. She was _middle aged_. There was no way in hell she was pregnant.

He nodded, "Yes."

"_It's menopause_."

Shaking his head, he breathed out an exasperated breath, "That's what we thought. So we took her to the doctor...he confirmed the pregnancy this afternoon."

I swallowed and heard the gulp in my dry throat. My eyes stung. My mom was pregnant. And Phil was telling me about it.

"Why didn't my mom tell me this?" I asked him straight up, leaning forward to try and intimidate him a little bit.

_Tell me a lie, Phil. Come on. Tell me that she's too sick or shocked to move and so you're breaking the news a little gentler._

He shrugged a little bit. "She was nervous. Didn't know how you'd react."

_Or you could tell the truth._

Standing up quickly, my chair flew back and hit the wall, "That doesn't matter! She's almost fifty! She can tell me that she's pregnant all by herself. Fuck, Phil! I'm not your daughter! I'm hers! You shouldn't have to tell me this shit!" I knew that she could hear me, but I didn't care. All I could do was stand there and breath heavy, staring down at Phil, who was shocked by my outburst. He looked a little angry, too. Frustrated, at the very least.

What, he thought I'd be happy? My mom couldn't even take care of _me_, much less another kid! _A baby!_

He stood up, angry. "Nice way to react, Bella."

I clenched my teeth. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about Phil. You've known my mom for like a year. I've known her for seventeen. I know her more than you ever could."

Phil's eyes narrowed and he glared angrily, "You did_ not_ just say that I don't know Renee, Bella."

_Way to be in denial._

"I'm leaving." I turned to walk away, but before I could even make it out of the kitchen, he grabbed my arm and spun me around.

His eyebrows were raised and he was breathing heavily through his nose, "I don't think so."

When I spoke, it was through clenched teeth. "I"m. Not. Your. Kid."

He sucked his teeth, angrily, "Bella. You may not be my kid, but I help take care of you. I cover for your ass, all the time. I'm your friend!"

Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms, ripping my right one out of his grasp. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." He said in a voice that told me I was acting like an idiot.

"Like what?"

He breathed deep through his nose, his nostrils flaring as he clenched his fists at his sides.

"Well, you smoked weed earlier this year and came home high twice. You got drunk at Mike Newtons party last summer. You have a hidden bag of pain pills that you take when you have bouts of insomnia...and on top of all that, you have something going on with Edward. Would you like to tell me what it is so I can cover for your asses?" I knew he wasn't serious about that last part, but my heart clenched in guilt.

He didn't even have to think before he spouted off everything naughty I had every done in high school...and then on top of that, he brought Edward up.

I reared back, "There is nothing going on between Edward and I!" I insisted for the millionth time, hoping that my anger could back me up.

"Bull shit, Bella! Bull _fucking_ shit! Are you having sex with him under your mothers roof?" He asked, pounding his fist on the kitchen archway.

"No! Phil, I'm a virgin!" I pushed at his shoulders to get him to back the fuck outta my face.

He sighed again, his eyes softening. "Okay. I believe you. But there is something going on. And I don't think it's one sided." His voice was hard and when he spoke the last sentence, he put his hand on my arm.

"Come on, Bella. We're friends. Tell me what's up."

I looked down at my feet.

"I like him okay? Its just a crush. He's older, and sexy and has a dangerous vibe. But it's just me. And now I've humiliated myself by talking about my crush to everybody but him. He's bound to find out soon, right? What with Renee's big mouth."

Phil sighed disapprovingly.

"He's my age, Bella."

I rolled my eyes.

"Yes. I know...And you and Renee are farther apart in age than Edward and I."

He looked at me, shocked. Then he began to crowd me again.

"Shit, Bella. It's not the same thing! You're a fucking kid! I was thirty when I met Renee. Thirty! Do you even see what I'm trying to say?" He shook me a little bit.

"Yeah, Phil. I fucking get the message. Kay?"

He clenched his teeth, hard.

"Bella. do not pursue Edward. He was like, fifteen when you were born. Think of that. The man was graduating high school when you were three!"

Okay, yeah that sounded bad.

"Well, lets put your relationship with Renee in the same terms, yeah? Renee was graduating high school when you were one." I wriggled my eye brows, "Hot." Classic bitch move.

He raised his eyebrows, but smirked a little bit.

I sighed.

"Listen, I'm not going to get all hot and heavy with Edward, mmkay?"

Nodding, he backed away from me and sat at the table.

"You can go now. But, first...could you do me a favor?"

I shrugged, "Depends on the favor."

"Will you do me a favor and just...pretend that you are happy about this baby to your mother, Bella? I Know your not all excited and gung ho about it, but please do this for her."

And because my mom had hurt me by being an immature brat, because she didn't tell me this herself, because she hid away from me and had her husband do it, I shook my head.

"No." I said coldly, before I walked out of the kitchen, leaving Phil sitting at the kitchen table, all alone.

Edward was standing at the top of the stairs and he reached his hand out to me when I came around the corner.

I walked to him tiredly, feeling completely ragged and exhausted. When I got to him, he pulled me into him and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me and carrying me down the stairs.

When we got to his room, he set me down and pushed my jeans off, while I pulled my shirt over my head. Edward pulled his own shirt from over his head and shoved my head through the hole. I pushed my arms through as I climbed on his bed. As I lay down and got situated, Edward placed his jeans in the hamper, and turned off the light, coming to bed in his boxers.

He crawled in behind me, pushing his hand under the shirt that I was wearing and placing his hand between my breasts, pulling me tightly back against him.

I sighed, trying to relax my tense body as he began to trace small circles.

"Wanna tell me what happened, baby?"

"No." I shook my head.

"Renee is pregnant?"

"Yeah."

He breathed in deep behind me.

"Why does that upset you? I'd have thought that you'd be happy to have a little brother or sister."

I scoffed. "Edward. In the week that you've been here, have you seen Renee be a mother? She's just not...motherly. She's friendly and crazy and flighty" I sighed. "For fucks sake! She's having a baby at _fifty_! Renee is Renee. She can't cook, she doesn't clean. She can't take care of a kid."

He nodded and kissed the back of my neck, "Maybe she'll prove you wrong, yeah?"

"No. That won't happen. But, a girl can hope, yes?"

Kissing my temple, he stroked the skin between my breasts again.

"Yes. We will hope for the best."

I nodded tiredly. I was sick of hoping for the best.

"Are you sleepy, Belle?" He whispered, sucking my ear lobe between his lips as his voice took that husky quality that made me burn for him. He moved up a bit and dipped his tongue into my ear, swirling it around.

My breath was sharp as I pulled it into my lungs.

"Uhm….Yeah." I squirmed when his hand moved to cup my right breast.

He breathed deep behind me, tugging on my ear with his teeth.

"Okay, sweets. There's plenty of time for that tomorrow, huh?" He squeezed my breast lightly and then retreated, rolling onto his back behind me.

I turned towards him in shock, glaring when I saw his body shaking in silent laughter

"That was mean!" I gasped, shoving him.

He laughed again, pulling me into him.

"I'm sorry, baby. Want me to kiss it better?" He wriggled his eyebrows, leaning forward to lick my lips.

I shook my head, "No, I do not want you to kiss it better." I said this as my stomach tightened. I knew I'd end up kissing him. God, I'm a pushover.

He raised his eyebrows, leaning in slow.

"Are you sure?"

I swallowed loudly and he smirked a little bit, coming close enough to kiss my jaw, open mouthed.

He worked his way back to my ear, kissing and tonguing it.

"Isabella. I want to kiss you. I don't take things without permission."

My eyes slid shut at his husky whisper.

_Aw, what the hell? You knew you were going to give in eventually._

I moved my head back and placed my lips on his, pushing my tongue into his mouth, gripping his biceps for support. He let his hands rest on my waist.

He made a weird, muffled laughing noise that came out of his throat.

I traced his teeth and gums, rubbing his tongue against mine. He let me explore his mouth, occasionally nudging our tongues together. I licked the top of his mouth and backed away. We weren't breathing very heavy like when he kisses me, but it was a good exercise in control.

"Mmm. That was nice, baby girl. Now come give me another good night kiss." He winked at me, his lips red and wet.

"Why don't you come give me one?" I said coyly.

He grinned.

"You asked for it."

And then he was on me, pushing me so my back rested on the bed and he leaned over me. I always forgot how long his body was when we were facing eachother in bed. I forgot how he could cover me completely and wholly with his warmth and safety. But when he lay on top of me, I was sure to remember. He had grabbed my hands at some point and he had them pinned with his own by my head, his fingers laced in mine. He sucked my bottom lip hard into his mouth, then pushed his tongue into my mouth, pulling my tongue into his mouth so he could suck hard at that as well. He was fast, but that didn't mean he was any less skilled as he released my tongue and nipped at my bottom lip. He placed his mouth on mine and gave my bottom lip a kiss. Then another.

My breathing was a lot faster then it was after the kiss I had given him, so my chest was moving up and down, my breasts pushing hard into his chest. He unlaced our fingers and pushed up a little bit, looking down so he could watch it happen.

"Mmm...I love kissing you till you pant and give me those little noises. Those are for me, right?" He traced his fingers over the neckline at the top of his shirt, looking up at me after he had finished his questions.

I emitted a noise that was between a grunt and a whimper.

He smirked, "Did I kiss you wordless, sweet girl?"

"No." I was still panting a little bit, so I stuck to a monosyllabic answer.

"You're shaking a little bit. Do you want me?" He raised an eyebrow and let his hand drift down my side to my thigh, to my knee, where he caressed the underside.

He slowly let his hand drift back up to my hip, underneath his shirt that had ridden up a great deal by now. He rubbed under the strap of my underwear.

At this point, I was burning for a repeat of yesterday afternoon. I wanted his mouth on me, his fingers in me. I just wanted him. And he knew it.

I swallowed heavily again, "Edward, I can't help but always want you." My admission was a little bit more than I wanted to stroke his ego with, but it was too late to take the words back, so I just let them hang in there around us.

"Me too." He let his hand spread out a little bit holding my naked hip. "I'll give you what you want in three weeks. Promise."

His thumb dipped deeper into my underwear, finding my swollen clit quickly, and rubbing at it. It was slick from my wetness, making it easy for him.

My back arched, and my hand flew to his shoulder, squeezing tightly as my other hand fisted the sheet.

But he pulled back moving his entire out of my underwear, and up to his mouth, sticking his thumb in.

"You're such a tease!" I pushed at his shoulders to get his warm weight off of me. I could feel his hot erection against my hip, and it was driving me a little crazy.

He laughed a little bit.

"That may be so, but it's so much more fun this way!" He kissed my chin.

I rolled my eyes.

"I'll take care of you." He moved his hand back down my body and into my panties.

My eyes rolled back, as he did exactly what he promised, rubbing my clit hard with his thumb as one of this other fingers pushed inside me finding that spot that _felt so fucking good._

I moaned out and he covered my lips with his, tongue fucking me like he had the other night. My hips bucked without permission as my legs shook.

Even though I had never had sex, and never purposely looked up a porno, I had in fact, heard people have sex. Mostly at school in strange places. The girls out of breath moans that came out of their mouths with every breath always drove me crazy. And I was embarrassed to be making the exact same noise as Edward rubbed at my g spot and clit in perfect unison.

My orgasm came fast, and Edward pumped his fingers into me all through out it, prolonging it, then licked his fingers after it was over.

He fell behind me as I caught my breath.

"Good?" He asked as I turned toward him and pushed him on his back so I could lay on top of him.

"So good." I murmured, spent.

He kissed my forehead, rubbing my back, as I drifted off.

* * *

The next morning at an incredibly early time, I woke up to Edward coming back to bed.

"Where'd ya go?" I grumbled, reaching for him.

"Bathroom." He grunted.

I nodded resting my head on his chest, and just like that, we were back to sleep.

The next time I woke up, Edward was rubbing my shoulder.

"Wake up, pretty girl. Renee and Phil left."

I sat up too fast and got dizzy, "Where'd they go?!" I asked, my voice and panicky.

"It's Sunday. They're going on their date."

"Oh. Okay." I lay back down.

Edward was leaning above me, his eyebrows drawn together.

"They left without coming down, but they left a note on the table."

"All right."

He kissed my forehead.

"Do you want to go upstairs and eat some breakfast?"

I nodded, my eyes half shut.

"Kay."

He stood up and I couldn't help but notice that there was a certain...problem.

"Edward."

"Yeah?" He paused in pulling on his sleep pants.

"Remember last night?"

"Yes." He laughed, wriggling his fingers at me.

I glared half heartedly.

"Don't you want me to return the favor?" I gestured vaguely to his morning wood.

He looked down at it, then back up at me, smirking.

"Sure. But only if you want to. I can always take care of it myself." He made the national 'jack off' signal.

"Nice."

"I'm just saying don't feel pressured. You're new to this." He leaned down and kissed my forehead, offering me his hand to help me stand up, but I shook me head, scooting to the edge of the bed. I pulled him between my legs so that I was eye level with his hardness.

I looked up at him blushing.

He laced his fingers through my hair at the back of my head.

Taking a deep breath, I tugged his sleep pants down a little bit.

There was a very obvious bulge in his boxers, and the slit in them showed off his skin. I felt my stomach tighten in nervousness, but I focused on the fact that I had done this before, in the shower. I had touched him and looked at him. And he had been so _so_ patient, and so _so_ gentle. So I eased his boxers down a bit, smiling at him as I did so.

"Aren't you supposed to be all gentlemanly? Tell me that I don't have to do this?"

He laughed a little bit, but his erection was slowly coming out of the boxers, and he was definitely turned on, his laugh husky.

"Yep. But, I've got a beautiful girl that I care about, here in front of me, about to touch me. I'm not gonna turn that down, babe. Just do what you want to do. No pressure to do anything, okay?" He tapped his mouth, and I knew that he was telling me that I didn't need to take him in my mouth, just touching would be fine.

I nodded, but I was going to try. So I tugged his boxers down the rest of the way. I had read enough cosmo's to do this right. The things were always laying around the house because of Renee.

He was exactly as I had remembered. Long, hard, and large. Very large. How was I going to fit this thing into me in a couple of weeks? For god's sake, I use tampax lites!

I wrapped my hand around him and stroked from base to tip. He exhaled and relaxed his body.

Easing back down, I frowned at the lack of lubrication. This would be easier and feel better for him if it was all slippery, wouldn't it?

Well, I could only think of one sexy way to do that.

So I licked him from base to tip, sucking lightly on the tip.

His hips twitched and he breathed deeply. I looked up at him and he had his eyes closed his eyebrows drawn together.I wrapped my fingers around him again, pumping my fist, making sure to trail my fingers over his tip every time I came down.

Precum was starting to leak from his tip a little bit, so I rubbed my fingers over to gather and spread it.

"Shit, Bella. How do you know how to do this?" His eyes were looking at me, pupils large enough that his eyes almost looked black, just a thin ring of green.

I shrugged, leaning forward to suck his tip into his mouth as my other hand moved down to his balls. I rubbed them lightly and he grunted loudly.

"Fuck. Just like that, kay? Just...mmm...Keep on sucking me, kay pretty girl?" His other hand joined the first, pulling my hair away from my face. I ran my tongue lightly over his tip, then sucked again, as one fist pumped him and the other fondled his balls.

I looked up at him to find he was staring down at my mouth around his tip.

"Damn. You look so good sucking me." He was panting and a little bit out of breath, but the man still dirty talked. I had a feeling Edward always talked aloud during sex. He was very comfortable with it.

I licked his tip, then eased him as far into my mouth as he could go, which wasn't much, but he didn't mind. I hallowed my cheeks and sucked lightly. He grunted. I moaned around him, easing off again. His eyes rolled back and closed.

"Mmmm...Just like that, Belle. Just like that." I moaned around him again. His words were starting to make my stomach clench tight. How he urged me on, told me I was sexy. His hands massaged my head. A combination of these things were beginning to get me ready for him.

Sucking hard on his tip, I pulled lightly on his sac, tightening my hand that was pumping him.

"Oh, fuck! That's good, that's so...fucking good. If you don't want to swallow...I'd back the fuck up, kay?" He was breathing hard through his nose, watching me again.

I looked up at him from under my lashes, moaning around him again.\

"Fuck, Bella!" His head fell back, mouth opening wide, as he came.

He swelled in my mouth, and the spurts of cum shot to the back of my throat, where I swallowed. I didn't really taste it, but what I got of it was salty and thick. I didn't mind the taste. Nor did I particularly like it.

I kept on sucking and pumping him, till he began to grow soft. When that happened, I tucked him into his boxers and sleep pants pulling them up.

He was staring at me when I looked up, and I blushed.

"What?"

"Where did you learn all of that? You were amazing, Belle. Thank you." He leaned down and kissed my lips, pushing me down to lay on the bed. He crawled behind me, holding me close.

"Mmmm."

I smiled, proud of myself. I had done that to him. Gotten him all post coital happy and cuddly.

Not to mention that I was really good at giving head, apparently.

Thank you Cosmo, and thank you Renee.

"Oh, I learned it all from cosmo."

"...What, babe?"

"You asked me like, twice where I had learned all that stuff from. Cosmo. Renee has a monthly subscription."

I leaned back against him, closing my eyes.

"Are you serious?" He asked me, looking down appraisingly.

"Yeah."

He shrugged laying back again.

"Maybe I'll send a thank you note to the editor."

I laughed, "Whatever, you old perv."

He pinched my side.

"Sshhh...I'm cum happy."

Shaking my head, I laughed again, letting him inflate my ego.

"Thank you for the indirect compliment."

He nodded against the back of my neck.

"Thank you, Bella. Seriously."

I laughed again, "God, Edward, you are such a man!"

He didn't say anything, but kissed the back of my neck.

* * *

When we finally got upstairs to have breakfast, it was past noon.

We had cuddled and talked about nothing really. He asked me if I was excited for graduation, and I told him that I was definitely was.

Except for my new college problem.

Edward had done a very sufficient job in distracting me from it, but I had to think about it, consider what I was going to do. I just didn't want to do it today. Tomorrow. Or the next day for sure.

I sighed, biting into my rice krispies.

"Do you eat that every Sunday?" Edward was smoking a cigarette across from me.

He nodded to the bowl, raising an eyebrow.

I shrugged. "Yeah, probably."

"Maybe we should start a tradition of going out to lunch."

"That'd be nice." I nodded.

"Okay."

"Bella? Edward? You up there?" Renee's voice penetrated the comfortable moment.

"Yep!" I shouted, rolling my eyes childishly.

"Could you come down?"

Edward nodded at me, and I shrugged.

"I don't want to." I whispered. Her not telling me had hurt. I didn't want to face her.

He nodded, "You can't avoid her forever. The house isn't that big."

I glared.

He smirked.

"Bella?" Renee yelled again.

"We're coming!" I yelled, letting the annoyance seep into my voice.

Renee was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

She eyed my attire-Edwards t shirt and a pair of my sweats.

I shrugged.

"I head your news. Congrats, Renee." Edward was quiet, just as he always was.

Renee smiled at him briefly. "Thank you Edward."

"You're welcome."

She looked at me expectantly.

"Little brother or sister on the way, huh?" I fake smiled and nodded to her stomach.

She nodded.

I sighed, giving in to Phil. I'd pretend I was so happy for her.

"That's great, Mom." Leaning in, I hugged her tight, "I'll help you through it all."

She squeezed me tight.

"Thank you, Bella. I was worried about what you thought."

I smiled and pulled back, "Don't worry. I'm fine."

She frowned, "But not excited?"

"I"m excited!" She knew me too well. She knew that I wasn't happy about this pregnancy.

But she accepted my fake words and nodded, smiling shakily.

"Well, Edward and I were about to go on a bike ride, so we'll see you later?"

She nodded, "Of course. Come talk to me if you want to or need to, okay, honey?"

As I walked away, I said "Of course."

Even though I knew there was no way.

No.

Way.

* * *

**Authors Note: HELLO? CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME? IS ANYONE ALIVE OUT THERE? So, that's my very obnoxious way of saying that I missed you guys. Remember when I said my laptop was fixed? Yeah, WRONG! It wasn't! It died like a week later. SO all semester I had to use my tablet. Which is not conducive to writing. I ended up going to the computer lab and pounding out seven pages in one night, though, because I NEEDED to write. Bad. And now that school is over, I've been finishing the chapter and cleaning it up!**

**I'm sorry it took me so long. I swear it won't happen again. I should have my new laptop in a month, and until then, my brother is sharing with me, so this WILL NOT happen again! I REPEAT: THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!**

**ANyway, tell me what you all thought of the chapter? I gave you TONS of smut to make for the fact I was gone, not to mention the fact that RENEE IS PREGNANT! AAAHH! SOme of you guessed it! But did you guess Bella's reaction? Do you guys understand or hate her reaction? LEMME KNOW PEEPS!**

**BTW, did anybody notice that i'm updating on my original posting date anniversary? HOW CUTE IS THAT?!**

**Shout out to those of you who have been here for the entire time! LOVE YOU!**

**-Drinking :)**


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